To Winter Tire or to Not Winter Tire?

• Winter Tires Save Lives and Prevent Accidents According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, winter tires shorten braking distances by 25% compared to all-season tires. Furthermore, 84% of respondents in a recent survey stated that winter tires saved them from a loss of control or an accident.
• Temperature is the Critical Factor Winter tires are designed to perform best when temperatures drop below seven degrees Celsius. While summer and all-season tires harden and lose grip in freezing temperatures, winter tires utilize distinct compounds to maintain traction on ice, slush, and dry cold surfaces.
• Long-Term Cost Efficiency While buying a second set of tires has a higher initial cost, the only long-term premium is the cost of switching them twice a year. Alternating between two sets prevents them from wearing out as fast as running a single set of all-season tires year-round.
• Adoption Rates are High Across Canada Approximately 80% of Canadian drivers who replied to a survey now use winter tires, an increase of 12% over the last decade. Usage is highest in Quebec (100%) and Atlantic Canada (95%), noting that Quebec and parts of British Columbia are the only regions where winter tire use is mandatory.
• Specialized Options Exist for Extreme Conditions Beyond standard winter tires, drivers in specific regions may choose studded tires for superior grip on hard ice, though they are noisy and can damage pavement. Tire chains provide maximum grip for emergencies in deep snow but are generally restricted to temporary use.

Let us get this out of the way right now: they are not snow tires; they are winter tires. Therefore, they work best in wintry weather (under seven degrees Celsius to be exact), ice, slush, dry cold surfaces, and, yes, in snow.

How do Winter Tires Work?

What is important to remember is that different tire compounds provide different grip as the seasons, and temperatures, change.

Low-profile, sporty summer tires that are ultra-grippy in warm weather become as hard as a rock when it gets to freezing temperatures – and that is before you factor in any precipitation. Those provide you with very little, if any, grip in winter weather.

Winter tires work by maintaining flexibility and grip in cold temperatures and on snowy or icy surfaces. This flexibility and grip are thanks to a combination of specialized rubber compounds and tread patterns. Winter tires are made with softer rubber than all-season and summer tires that stays flexible in the cold. Winter tires also feature tread patterns with deeper grooves and sipes (tiny, wavy cuts) clear away snow and water for better traction, braking and handling.

• Flexible rubber compound: Winter tires use a soft rubber compound that remains flexible in cold temperatures, allowing it to conform to the road surface for better grip. All-season tires become stiff and lose traction as temperatures drop.
• Aggressive tread pattern: Winter tires have deeper grooves and a more aggressive design with larger, chunkier tread blocks. This allows snow and slush to build up in the tread, which actually helps create grip because snow sticks to snow.
• Sipes: These small, wavy cuts on the tread blocks act as tiny biting edges to help the tire grip ice and packed snow. They also channel away water from the surface, preventing the tire from "hydroplaning" on a thin layer of ice.
• Water and slush evacuation: The grooves and channels in the tread push water and slush away from the tire's contact patch, keeping the rubber in better contact with the road surface.
• Snow-gripping ability: The sipes and deep grooves trap and hold snow, which then grips the snow on the road surface, creating a high level of friction and traction.

The 7 7 Rule is a guideline for changing your car tires, which advises you to switch to:

• winter tires after temperatures are consistently below 7°C for seven days
• all-season or summer once temperatures are consistently above 7°C for seven days

Each year, the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) commissions an online survey on winter tire use in Canada. The latest survey, released in November 2025, found that 80 per cent of respondents use winter tires, which is an increase of 12 per cent in the last 10 years.

Quebec and certain parts of British Columbia are the only two places in Canada where winter tire use is mandatory. Here is the winter tire usage in Canada:

Study after study has shown that the benefits of winter tires are undeniable. We have all seen the videos of cars on an ice hockey rink driving with different tire compounds, and the ones without winter tires would take much longer to come to a stop than those with winter tires.

Herein lies the biggest benefit of using winter tires: those few feet can be the difference between making it home safe or being involved in a crash.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, winter tires shorten braking distances by 25 per cent compared to all-season tires.

The TRAC survey found that 84 per cent of respondents say that winter tires saved them from an accident or loss of control. Additionally, 81 per cent of respondents believe that winter tires are an important investment despite the rising cost of living.

When it comes to maximum winter traction, drivers have more than just a standard winter tire to choose from. Depending on the conditions and local regulations, there are two specialized options: studded tires and tire chains.

Winter Tires

Standard winter tires are designed for all-around winter use, offering good grip in cold weather, slush and snow thanks to their soft rubber compound, deep treads, and biting edges (sipes). They are a legal and convenient choice for the entire cold season.

Finally, tire chains are an emergency traction device, not a permanent solution. They consist of heavy metal or composite links/cables wrapped around the drive wheels to provide maximum, aggressive grip in extremely severe conditions like deep, unplowed snow or steep icy grades. Tire chains’ performance on ice and deep snow is very good, but they must be removed immediately once conditions clear. Driving with chains on dry pavement is severely restricted or illegal as it damages the road, creates extreme vibrations, and can damage the vehicle's tires. They are often required equipment in certain mountain passes during winter but are generally only legal for temporary or emergency use elsewhere.

While winter tires are designed with deep treads and biting edges to grip snow and slush, those features wear down over time. Use this checklist to know when it is time to replace them:

1. The Tread Depth is Below 4mm While the legal minimum is often lower, safety experts and Transport Canada recommend replacing winter tires when the tread reaches 4mm (5/32”). Below this depth, the deep treads and sipes cannot effectively clear snow or bite into ice.
2. They Fail the "Toonie Test" If you do not have a tread depth gauge, use a Canadian Toonie: Place the coin in the tread groove with the polar bear’s paws facing down.
   Good: If the tread covers the silver outer ring.
   Replace: If you can see the silver ring above the bear’s paws, your tread is likely below 50% wear.
3. Visible Cracks or "Spider Webbing" Winter tires rely on a soft rubber compound to stay flexible in the cold. If you see small cracks in the sidewall or between tread blocks, the rubber has dried out and hardened, meaning it will slide rather than grip on dry, cold surfaces.
4. You Notice Increased Stopping Distances Your winter tires should shorten braking distances by 25% compared to all-seasons. If you notice your ABS pulsing more frequently or your vehicle sliding longer than usual on familiar routes, your tires may have lost their effectiveness.
5. The Tires are Over 6–10 Years Old Even with good tread, tires expire. Most manufacturers recommend replacing tires 10 years after their manufacturing date (found on the sidewall DOT code), but performance often degrades after 6 years of use due to rubber hardening.

Ultimately, drivers have options:

1. They can go with full winter tires for the winter
2. They can use all-weather tires, which are all-season tires that have the 3PMS symbol
3. They can use all-season tires

Each step gives the vehicle less grip in cold weather.

Of course, there’s also the option of studded tires in certain parts of the country, and tire chains in the most extreme situations.

The evidence overwhelmingly supports the use of dedicated winter tires as an indispensable safety measure for navigating Canadian winters. With high usage rates affirming the value of winter tires across the country, recognizing winter tires not as an expense but as essential life-saving equipment is the clearest choice drivers can make to ensure safety for on unpredictable Canadian winter roads.

Treating your off-season winter tires correctly is key to prolonging their lifespan and maintaining their critical performance. Proper storage prevents the rubber from hardening, cracking, or developing flat spots.

Follow these simple steps when switching: