Winter Tire Planner
Your on and off windows, computed from the 7 C threshold in the 30-year climate record at your nearest station. Below it, provincial and territorial rules and government guidance, with official sources.
Both dates, every year, with a one-week reminder.
First snow watch: Track incoming snow on the radar and check the work windows for your place on the Weather page.
Winter-tire rules and guidance by province and territory
Rules differ in scope: Quebec has a seasonal requirement; British Columbia has designated-route requirements; Newfoundland and Labrador requires traction equipment when snow or ice is on a highway; and Ontario requires an insurance rate discount for eligible private-passenger vehicles. Other rows summarize linked government guidance and verified rules such as studded-tire dates. A row marked “No general mandate identified” does not claim that every possible vehicle or route rule has been exhaustively reviewed. Each row links to an official source and shows when we last checked it.
| Province / territory | Status | Rule | Studded tires | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Conditional requirement | Posted winter-tire or chain requirements apply on most designated highways October 1 to April 30; select routes end March 31. | Permitted October 1 to April 30, subject to stud and vehicle-placement limits. | Government of British Columbia verified 2026-09-27 |
| Alberta | No general mandate identified | Alberta advises considering winter tires for cold, snowy, and icy conditions. | Studded-tire dates were not established from the linked provincial guidance; check current rules before use. | Government of Alberta verified 2026-09-27 |
| Saskatchewan | No general mandate identified | SGI says winter driving conditions may last five months or more and lists snow tires among its pre-winter vehicle-preparation recommendations. | The linked SGI guidance does not state a seasonal window; confirm current rules before use. | Saskatchewan Driver's Handbook, SGI verified 2026-09-27 |
| Manitoba | No general mandate identified | No general winter-tire mandate; MPI financing is available for eligible dedicated winter tires. MPI low-interest winter tire financing is available to eligible Manitobans. | Permitted in season; check MPI/provincial guidance for current dates. | Manitoba Public Insurance verified 2026-09-27 |
| Ontario | No general mandate identified | No provincewide winter-tire mandate for passenger vehicles; insurance regulation requires a discount for equipped private-passenger vehicles. Ask your insurer which tires qualify and what documentation it requires. | Permitted October 1 to April 30 for listed users and vehicles. This includes qualifying Northern Ontario permit holders and out-of-province vehicles in Ontario for up to 30 days. | Ontario e-Laws, Automobile Insurance; Ontario e-Laws, Tire Standards verified 2026-09-27 |
| Quebec | Required by law | Most Quebec-registered motor vehicles must use winter tires December 1 to March 15 inclusive, subject to listed exceptions. | Permitted October 15 to May 1 inclusive. | SAAQ verified 2026-09-27 |
| New Brunswick | No general mandate identified | No general passenger-vehicle mandate; school and activity buses have a seasonal winter-tire requirement. Studs October 15 to May 1. | Permitted October 15 to May 1. | Government of New Brunswick; Department of Education Policy 513 verified 2026-09-27 |
| Nova Scotia | No general mandate identified | Nova Scotia recommends winter tires for winter conditions; studded tires are permitted October 15 to May 31 under provincial regulation. | Permitted October 15 to May 31, subject to regulatory limits. | Government of Nova Scotia; Nova Scotia Studded Tires Regulations verified 2026-09-27 |
| Prince Edward Island | No general mandate identified | PEI recommends four matching winter tires from November through April; studded tires are permitted October 1 to May 31. | Permitted October 1 to May 31. | Government of Prince Edward Island; PEI, 2026 studded-tire deadline verified 2026-09-27 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Conditional requirement | When a highway has snow or ice, driven wheels must have manufacturer-designated mud-and-snow tires or chains. | Normally permitted November 1 to April 30; a ministerial proclamation may vary dates. | Newfoundland and Labrador Licensing and Equipment Regulations verified 2026-09-27 |
| Yukon | No general mandate identified | Yukon advises using tires suited to the local climate and says winter tires function better in cold temperatures. | A seasonal studded-tire rule was not established from the linked guidance; verify current legislation before use. | Government of Yukon verified 2026-09-27 |
| Northwest Territories | No general mandate identified | The NWT advises drivers to equip vehicles with good winter tires and carry a winter travel kit. | Factory-studded tires are exempted from the cited traction-protrusion restriction; no seasonal dates are stated in that section. | NWT Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations; Government of the Northwest Territories, Winter Driving verified 2026-09-27 |
| Nunavut | No general mandate identified | Nunavut's Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations exempt factory-studded tires from the general restriction on traction protrusions; the cited section gives no seasonal dates. | Factory-studded tires are exempted under section 82; no seasonal dates are stated in the cited section. | Nunavut Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations verified 2026-09-27 |
Reference windows for major cities
Computed from each city’s own station normals. Your town’s dates may differ; use the planner above for your exact place.
| City | Tires on by | Off after | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | BC | November 10 | March 18 |
| Vancouver | BC | November 10 | March 16 |
| Kelowna | BC | October 17 | April 5 |
| Calgary | AB | October 5 | April 29 |
| Edmonton | AB | September 30 | April 29 |
| Saskatoon Diefenbaker | SK | October 3 | April 26 |
| Regina | SK | October 4 | April 25 |
| Winnipeg Richardson | MB | October 7 | April 26 |
| Sudbury | ON | October 11 | April 28 |
| Ottawa Cda | ON | October 22 | April 17 |
| Toronto Lester B. Pearson | ON | October 28 | April 15 |
| Windsor | ON | November 6 | April 6 |
| Montreal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau | QC | October 22 | April 18 |
| Quebec/Jean Lesage | QC | October 13 | April 28 |
| Fredericton | NB | October 17 | April 26 |
| Halifax Stanfield | NS | October 25 | April 29 |
| Charlottetown | PE | October 23 | May 4 |
| Whitehorse | YT | September 16 | May 14 |
| Yellowknife | NT | September 16 | May 23 |
Method: monthly mean daily temperature normals anchored mid-month, linear interpolation across 7 C. Full notes on the methodology page.
Field notes
The dates above are the 30-year average. This is the winter people nearby are actually having. Add what you are seeing, read what your neighbours saw.
Set your place above to read and add notes for your town.
No notes here yet. If you garden or live nearby, be the first.
Questions, answered plainly
When should winter tires go on?
The planner uses about 7 C as a seasonal planning rule of thumb, not a universal performance cutoff. Set your place above to see when the 30-year Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals at the nearest station cross that threshold. Actual conditions vary with the weather, road, and tire, so use the date as a planning estimate.
Is there a winter tire law in Ontario?
Ontario has no provincewide winter-tire mandate for passenger vehicles. Its insurance regulation requires a winter-tire discount in rates for eligible private-passenger vehicles. Quebec has a seasonal winter-tire requirement; British Columbia has requirements on designated routes; and Newfoundland and Labrador requires mud-and-snow tires or chains on driven wheels when snow or ice is on the highway. The table below distinguishes these rules and links to the authorities.
Why 7 degrees Celsius?
We use about 7 C as a seasonal planning rule of thumb. It does not guarantee that one tire type will perform better in every situation: traction and stopping depend on the tire, road surface, and conditions.
When do winter tires come off?
The planner estimates a seasonal return window from local climate normals and the 7 C planning rule of thumb. Treat the date as an estimate; check current forecasts, the roads you use, tire guidance, and any applicable equipment rules before changing tires. Quebec’s seasonal requirement runs through March 15 inclusive, subject to listed exceptions.
Winter tire dates by city
Every page computed from that city's own nearest-station record. All cities.