You could call it collateral damage.  

As highway crews get rid of huge snowbanks along our roads, they may also accidently be getting rid of other things this winter. 

“We discovered it two weeks ago and it was over in the snowbank, says Oro-Medonte resident Ashley of her mailbox.

Held together with little more than a few strips of red packing tape the Oro-Medonte resident’s mailbox was hit by a snow plow.

“Mistakes happen but you need to be accountable for those mistakes,” she says. “And we're just looking to get our mailbox replaced. We're frustrated homeowners.”

Ashley contacted the township office and was told that in some instances it will replace the mailbox. The township sent inspectors to survey the damage to the box, but Ashley was told it was her problem to deal with.

“They told me they weren't going to do anything because we need to keep the area around the mailbox clean,” she says.

Snow plow operators say cleaning snow away from around the mailbox is essential.

“The more visible the better for us,” says Tom O'Callaghan with Fowler Construction. “And with our drivers, if they can see it they can miss it.

Fowler has a number of snow plow contracts and O'Callaghan says operators know their job.

“Well they're job is to make the roads safe, safe for the public, safe for emergency vehicles,” he says. “And they're out there in the worst conditions possible.”

O'Callaghan says if people don't clear the area around the box it's a safety hazard for Canada Post mail delivery people as well. And Canada Post also says it's the responsibility of homeowners.

“We lost the back of it,” says Lawrene. “That's somewhere buried in the snow. We gave up looking for it (in) December.”

Lawrene understands the frustration of having a plow break your mailbox. She's fixed hers five times this season.

“Bungee cords are my friend,” she says. “If it wasn't so cold I'd probably pull out the duct tape.”

Although Canada Post will not cover the cost of any damage done to the mailbox in front of your house, there is one exception. If the damage is to a community mailbox, then Canada Post will replace it.