Here's When You Should Get Winter Tires In Canada & You Might Already Be Overdue
Get those winter tires on ASAP!
Cars driving through a snowstorm. Right: A mechanic putting winter tires on a vehicle.
You know winter is getting closer when the temperatures start dropping and it's time to start thinking about winter tires.
While winter weather hasn't hit many parts of Canada yet, drivers in one province are already required to have winter tires on their vehicles.
In B.C. winter tires or chains are mandatory for drivers on most routes in the province from October 1 until March 31 or April 30, depending on whether you're driving through mountain passes or high snowfall areas. For drivers who don't comply, they could face a $121 fine if they're caught.
In Quebec, winter tires are also mandatory for all vehicles from December 1 until March 15. Drivers could face a fine of $200 if they fail to comply with the rules.
While winter tires are not mandatory by law in any other province, they are still recommended.
In Ontario, drivers are advised to have their vehicles equipped with winter tires between October 1 and April 30.
According to the Michelin website, winter tires are recommended with "at least a tread depth of 3.2mm" in Alberta where temperatures can drop as low as -40 degrees Celsius.
In Manitoba star-studded tires are permitted on the road from October 1 to April 30, in New Brunswick between October 15 and May 1 and in Newfoundland and Labrador between November 1 and May 31.
Over in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, drivers should consider having winter tires between October 1 and May 31.
There are no laws in place for Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories or the Yukon Territory but those provinces do see a lot of snow so winter tires are also highly recommended!
According to the Weather Network, winter tires should be on your vehicle by the time the temperature dips below 7 degrees.
The network is reporting that an arctic chill will sweep across Canada over the next week so if you haven't swapped your tires yet you should think about doing it soon.
You can buy and have winter tires installed at various auto centres across the country like Costco and Canadian Tire.
Costco has an FAQ on its website about tire installation. You can also book an appointment online to get yours in place.
In November, the Old Farmer's Almanac released its winter weather forecast for Canada. It looks like cities across the country will be seeing lots of snow this winter so make sure your vehicles are ready before then!