A woman shovels a sidewalk in North Vancouver following a recent snowstorm. (Chuck Stoody/Canadian Press)

Single-family homeowners in Vancouver might have to get out their shovels next time it snows, if some officials at city hall get their way.

A city bylaw requires business, condo and apartment property owners to clear snow from the sidewalks in front of their homes by 10 a.m. PT.

The present bylaw, however, does not apply to single-family homes and duplexes. That should change, according to Tom Timm, the general manager of the city's engineering services division.

"We want to look at including one- and two-family homes throughout the city so that all properties would be required to do it," said Timm.

City officials say they know some people won't shovel and others can't shovel but they have a solution.

"We'll be looking at establishing volunteer programs through potentially the community centres where elderly or disabled people can call in and get some assistance to do that kind of work," said Timm.

There's also difficulty around how to punish people who don't shovel, according to Timm. During the recent storms, 10,000 properties were checked for sidewalk clearing infractions resulting in 580 warning notices.

But violators have to be prosecuted in court, a costly and time-consuming process, so officials are recommending the city implement a ticketing system.

It is not clear if the proposal has the necessary support of the council to become law, but Mayor Gregor Robertson recently said the city needs to improve its own snow removal program after many side streets and sidewalks were left not plowed for weeks during the recent storms.