Winters in northern Ontario always bring the same challenges. Walkways need to be shovelled, whole doorways, driveways and parking lots need to be kept safe without causing long-term damage to concrete, landscaping, or interior floors.
For many property owners, the default solution is to spread rock salt at the first sign of frost — but that approach isn’t always the right tool for the job. And according to Robert Bertuzzi, the President of the The Reliable Group, understanding when and how to use salt is the single biggest factor in preventing slips, protecting surfaces, and avoiding unnecessary maintenance costs.
Traditional rock salt remains a common first choice because it’s affordable and widely available. But its performance depends heavily on temperature.
“Rock salts work best above 0°C and become less effective as the temperature drops,” Bertuzzi said.
That’s where calcium-based or blended ice melts come in — products engineered to work faster, perform better in colder weather, and be gentler on concrete when applied properly.
“The blended ice melts are formed from small pellets of these underground salt beds and blended with performance salts, such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride,” he said.
Products like PRO-2000 fall into this category, offering a more controlled melt and fewer side effects than straight rock salt when used as directed.
Your choice of product should also take into consideration the surface you’re treating.
“If you have gravel in your parking lot, rock salt should be fine because it’s really just gravel,” Bertuzzi said. “But if you got any type of interlocking stones, paving stone, concrete, then the better quality ice melt products should be the products you should use.”
New concrete is especially vulnerable. Overusing rock salt can accelerate scaling and spalling. In those cases, a premium melt used sparingly can help minimize damage.
“There is no product in the market that is 100 per cent safe on concrete, especially new concrete,” Bertuzzi said. “So, if it is used properly, and sparing, products like Pro-2000 will have the least impact on concrete.”
The bigger issue local businesses face, however, is a tendency to over-apply salt.
“What we see is a lot of over-application; where people are concerned and they over-apply the product and it then more gets trapped inside of the building than it should be trapped in because they put more ice melt down than they should have put down,” Bertuzzi said.
The excess product doesn’t melt ice faster — it creates granules that sit on top of walkways like “tiny ball bearings,” increases tracking into lobbies and onto floors, and often leaves behind a wet layer that can refreeze into hazardous patches if not properly removed.
Here’s another thing you may not know about salt and melt products: “they aren’t meant to do all the work,” Bertuzzi said.
Their purpose is to break the bond between ice and pavement so the loosened slush can be removed. When that step is skipped, the surface becomes uneven, slick, and less predictable for pedestrians.
Treating every surface the same way only compounds the issue. Gravel, decorative concrete, interlocking stone, and paving stones all respond differently to salt, making your product choice and how much of it you apply essential.
Correct application also plays a role in liability protection. Using the right product at the right time helps demonstrate that a business took “reasonable steps” to prevent accidents. That remains a key factor for insurers and courts when assessing slip-and-fall claims. Reliable’s approach emphasizes pre-treating where appropriate, using realistic application rates, and pairing melt products with proper mechanical removal.
Environmental considerations are increasingly part of the conversation, as well.
For pet-friendly or landscaped properties, Bertuzzi said the right product choice makes a significant difference.
“For sites with pets, landscaping, or sensitive environments, we usually recommend stepping up from straight rock salt to premium ice melts like Pro-2000s and using them sparingly,” he said.
He added that PRO-2000 is formulated with CMA, an environmentally benign de-icer that is “eco-friendly, non-tracking, and does less damage to concrete, wood, and nearby plants” when used as directed.
For highly sensitive sites — veterinary clinics, daycares, park areas or landscaped pathways — pairing a premium melt with thoughtful, minimal application offers a practical balance of safety and stewardship.
Planning ahead is another critical factor many businesses overlook.
“It’s very important to plan in advance for ice melt products because there aren't a lot of suppliers of ice melt products in Canada or in North America,” Bertuzzi said. Supply challenges can appear quickly. Buying early ensures availability and gives customers the ability to lock in better pricing, especially when ordering by the skid.
Reliable’s advantage comes from experience on both sides of winter maintenance.
“As Reliable Maintenance Products, we distribute premium, high-performance ice melt and as part of The Reliable Group, we work hand-in-hand with our cleaning division, Reliable Cleaning Services,” Bertuzzi said.
“That means the products we recommend are the same ones we use in the field every day to keep real walkways, parking lots, and building interiors safer and cleaner all winter.”
To learn more about choosing the right ice melt, proper application techniques, or winter maintenance planning, customers can connect with The Reliable Group for product guidance, training support, and winter-ready solutions designed to keep properties safe.
To learn more about choosing the right ice melt, proper application techniques or winter maintenance planning customers can connect with The Reliable Group for training support and product guidance.
Throughout December, the company is also offering discounted pricing on PRO-2000 ice melt, with savings on purchases of more than 10 bags and the deepest discounts on full-skid orders.