Mayor John Tory says if a labour strike were to occur by the city's indoor/outdoor workers, he would hope it wouldn't affect snow-clearing operations, which almost entirely contracted.
"I'm confident that if there was ever to be a work stoppage and I've very hopeful there won't be, that they would not impede snow clearing," he said.
It's possible city workers could strike at transfer locations and yards where snow plows come in and out.
That could lead to slight delays of plows getting out to highways and streets, though Tory hopes it wouldn't come to that.
"There's enough humanity there that even when you have a difference of opinion that results in a work stoppage, and again I hope that doesn't happen, that people will understand the sensibility and the sensitivity of making sure those kinds of things can continue."
He added he hoped the same would go for the city's warming centres.
CUPE 416 will provide an update on labour negotiations later on Wednesday.