We haven't had a brutal cold snap yet this winter, but the one last January should still be fresh in everyone's memory. Temperatures dropped rapidly, and pipes froze across the Lower Mainland.

It was a bonanza for plumbers, but a disaster for many homeowners, renters, business owners, and non-profits, who suddenly found their buildings flooded in the wake of burst pipes.

It's a reminder that the winter season has plenty of hazards.

If we're lucky, we'll have a traditional West Coast holiday season – green and damp, mild and rainy. The snow will stay on the mountains where it belongs, with no more than a few inches at a time falling on local roads.

But we can't guarantee a mild winter, no matter how much we'd like to control the weather. We get what we get, and that means being prepared.

So now might be a good time to find the snow shovel and the ice scraper for your car's windshield, to invest in a bag of rock salt or ice melt for the walkway, to ensure that your elderly neighbours know you can offer a hand with those chores for their homes and sidewalks, too.

The best way to get through a winter – even a pretty mild one – is together.

The winter brings new hazards for everyone. In the cold and dark, car crashes are more likely, and collisions with pedestrians even more so. Taking extra care, driving slower, and ensuring your headlights work – and are turned on – are key. 

We also have to look out for vulnerable populations. The homeless are more exposed to the weather than anyone. Winter is a time to ensure there are adequate emergency shelter spaces available, and to remind local leaders that sometimes, we have to improvise. Churches, school gyms, and community centres may have to be pressed into service to ensure everyone who needs a warm place to sleep has one.

Seniors of all income levels are also more vulnerable, especially those who live alone. Those with canes, walkers, or scooters may find it near impossible to traverse ice- and snow-choked sidewalks. Services like Meals on Wheels become an even more important lifeline at this time of year.

Winter can be a joyful season, if we all pull together.