Svend, here's a zany thought. What might the hardness of either Ontario or BC snow? If it is much lower than the mains water, what about shovelling it into a barrel or other suitable container and then letting it eventually thaw?
If it is "of the right stuff" in hardness terms then there has to an awful lot of it in the forthcoming winter and it's free
In fact taking this thought one stage back, what about Ontario or BC rain. Once my rain water becomes what we term in the U.K. as "old water" i.e. after a week of so, I think that it loses some of the potentially harmful elements that modern day rain can contain?
There might of course be issues with my thoughts that I am unaware of but I thought I'd mention it.
I am always attracted by the word "free"
Mike