Canada - Snow tires mandatory in BC for mountains roads

Just a heads up. Having vehicles equipped with winter tires (on all wheels) or carrying chains is now mandatory on mountain highways in BCbetween 1 October and 30 April. This would effect driving on most highways in the province except those on Vancouver island and the lower mainland, and to virtually all ski resorts.

Some rental companies in BC are aware of this requirement and offer cars with winter tires, at an additional $10/day.

All-season tires don't fulfill the requirement and I haven't been able to find information if non-winter tires on 4WD/AWDs qualify.

It's apparently been in effect for a year but it's the first time I've heard of it (not even mentioned on the highway condition website). Unknowingly drove my Corvette on 3 RTs on the Coquihalla since this legislation came into effect.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/top_story.php?id=219473&type=Local
http://www.skisilverstar.com/home_showSection_ID_594.html

Yah, I dunno about this. How are they going to enforce it. I wen to revelstoke 5 times last winter in a Civic with winter tires.. I also went about 5 times in my Hummer. It doesn't have winter tires. I would argue the Hummer is much safer than the Civic, winter tires or not.

I guess they enforce it when/if road conditions are bad. Who knows? Then again, I haven't driven on snowy roads (outside greater Vancouver) since the law came into effect.

I would argue the Hummer is much safer than the Civic, winter tires or not.

I do have to say you do see a lot of 4x4s in the ditch on the Coquihalla in winter. 4WD might help you go but it doesn't help you stop or turn, and a lot of folk tend to forget that.

Could also influence whether or not you're 'at fault' if you're in an accident on a winter road in summer tires.

Some rental companies in BC are aware of this requirement and offer cars with winter tires, at an additional $10/day.

I know this has been covered in other threads, but charging for this is just plain ridiculous -

Rental Car Clerk: Would you like to add rear view mirrors to your rental for $10 per day?

Customer: I'm not sure... Do I need them?

Clerk: They're required by law. As a result, we offer mirrors as an optional extra for only $10 per day.

Customer: Wait a minute, they're required by law, yet I have to pay extra for them when I rent a car?

Clerk: For your convenience of course, sir.

Customer: But won't having mirrors free of charge help protect your car fleet from damage?

Clerk: I'm glad you mentioned that sir. Let's turn to the topic of the 'optional' LDW...

I know this has been covered in other threads, but charging for this is just plain ridiculous -

Maybe not. It's not required if one's staying local (most business rentals). I can see the point as snow tires wear faster and require investment in tires and most likely additional wheels. That'd add $600 at a minimum for most vehicles.

Whether a charge is valid really depends on the location. For Vancouver and Victoria, you can do significant amounts of driving in places where snow tires aren't required and aren't generally used. So an extra charge isn't unreasonable since you are taking the car to a different climate. Car agencies would need to have two pricing sets. One for "local area only" and the other for long distances (which includes snow tires).

Anywhere else in the province, the cars should have snow tires included automatically. If I pick-up a car in Kelowna in December, snowy and icy conditions are simply part of winter. So any car needs to be properly equipped for local conditions and renting a car without that equipment is neglient.

Could also influence whether or not you're 'at fault' if you're in an accident on a winter road in summer tires.Quebec has a similar law since last year. If you are in a winter accident accident (approx Nov to April), and you don't have winter tires, you are at fault.
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13F

All-season tires don't fulfill the requirement and I haven't been able to find information if non-winter tires on 4WD/AWDs qualify.



I suspect that it doesn't matter if the vehicle is 4wd/awd, if they aren't winter tires, they don't qualify. I suspect that many light truck/SUV 4wd tires do have m&s (mud and show) ratings on them, (the Continentals on my Escape have the small m+s on the sidewall) while your typical awd car or minivan doesn't.

I wouldn't go without snowtires after putting them on our Caravan a couple years ago. All season really aren't, unless you are talking about all 4 of Florida's seasons. When we traded the Caravan in last January, I got a strange look from the guy at Canadian Tire when I took the old van in and said "well, it hasn't snowed in 2 weeks, get those tires off of there". We drove the new van on the tires it came with, and even though they were new, you could really tell the difference.

I suspect that it doesn't matter if the vehicle is 4wd/awd, if they aren't winter tires, they don't qualify. I suspect that many light truck/SUV 4wd tires do have m&s (mud and show) ratings on them, (the Continentals on my Escape have the small m+s on the sidewall) while your typical awd car or minivan doesn't.


The tires need to have the Cdn winter tire rating (symbol below). Not sure if all M&S tires - especially OEM ones - have them (haven't looked).

http://www.dot.gov.nt.ca/_live/images/rad/snowtire%5B1%5D.gif


I wouldn't go without snowtires after putting them on our Caravan a couple years ago. All season really aren't, unless you are talking about all 4 of Florida's seasons. When we traded the Caravan in last January, I got a strange look from the guy at Canadian Tire when I took the old van in and said "well, it hasn't snowed in 2 weeks, get those tires off of there". We drove the new van on the tires it came with, and even though they were new, you could really tell the difference.

I'm sure they make a difference. I heard years ago that the Japanese tires are particularly good because Japan is as icey as Canada and studded tires aren't allowed there. The trouble is that they're soft too, and will wear out faster.

Quebec has a similar law since last year. If you are in a winter accident accident (approx Nov to April), and you don't have winter tires, you are at fault.
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13F

That law caught distributor and retailers flat footed as Quebec sucked up most of the winter tires during the early part of winter.

I have looked over everything that has been said and see most have doubts or misunderstandings about snow tire
They are mandatory and you are subject to fine if in an area that needs tires or chains.I have also heard that you could be held liable for an accident if you are in one and there are no winter tires on.
These are two good reasons to buy snow tires alone get a $600.00 set of tires and if stopped smile and say I have snow tires>if in accident(not your fault) smile and say I have snow tires the other sucker doesnt .
besides the legal side of it well common sense says snow tires after all how many out there would go for a drive in winter with no snow tires to possibly injure or worse a family member.
Please people think on the positive
here is some info
1 snow tires if used properly can be used for 3-5 years
2 some are better than others
3 best are ones with a mountian on side
many wonder about the wear and rightly so an ice radial type tire will wear faster if used on dry pavement. these are meant for areas with icy conditions not downtown vancouver.
Studded tires are a personal preferance they really dont make all that much differance
Myself I use a cheaper snow tire but have used the others above
by the way I do live in the interior and do drive on snow,sluch and ice about 5 months of the year and the worst driving in winter I find is slush as a snow tire does not really help nor does an all season. They are both subject to the water under neath the sno/slush condition.
Drive with care and enjoy your province this winter
r phillips

I would think that fault is assessed in the usual way. You can;t be at fault if you are not the cause of the collision. If a car with snow tires runs into a stopped vehicle without them, the vehicle with snow tires should still be at fault and vice versa. Another point to consider, according to Consumer Reports, is that snow tires do not work as well as all season tires on (water) wet or dry pavements. So if you are in a place that salts roads, then only during the time before roads are cleared are the snow tires safer. Also, there are some all season tires that have very good snow traction and most that do not. The November 2009 issue of Consumer Reports has this information. There is no general rule - look at the tests and decide.

Well I went and did it and have found out usful info re winter tires
I called ICBC and according to the person I spoke with winter tires are not yet mandatory the legislation has not yet been passed.
Now here is the catch (aint there always one) you must have winter tires on your viehcle or use chains after Oct 1 in any area a sign is posted to this affect.If not and you are involved or even pulled over you could be fined
Now catch #2
If you are using chains on dry pavement you could be subject to a fine.
so on a bright sunny day on October 10 I am driving down the hiway in a signed area using chains because the law does state oct 1 I get a fine for using chains??? HMmmmm
I dont use them and in an accident not my fault I am fined or judged at fault cause I was carrying chains but they were not on.Hmmmmm
To tell the truth I believe everyone in the province should be required to use winter tires coastal or not after all one only has to watch the news to see the number of viehcles in a mid winter vancouver snow storm and yet I have to subsids this on my insurance for the lack of tires

The point of this post was to alert visitors (and most who come to BC during the winter are probably coming for skiing i.e., Whistler for most) to the pitfalls of renting a vehicle where the vehicle may be "winterised" but almost likely not to have qualifying winter tires (99.99% likelihood in B.C., almost 100% likelihood in Seattle).

We usually rent a 4WD to go up to the interior (for family, not recreational, purposes) for the x'mas hols but ended up booking flights (as we did last year). Good thing as we weren't aware of this requirement until the past few days. Last thing we want is to get into an accident, even if no fault of ours, and not have insurance coverage because of not having winter tires. We've just been lucky so far that whenever we've had cars, the highway has been clear, or wet/mildly slushy at best, and when we've had 4WD, the roads have been reasonable (but completely covered by compacted snow for long stretches - clearing to the pavement seems to be a foreign concept for the privatised alleged-ploughing crews (the ploughs just compact snow, not scrape it off the pavement, and the smallest rock that's used on the Coquihalla and connector seem to be much larger than pea gravel size -using sand is a foreign concept). I'm well aware of the 4WD vehicles' traction/stability limits while it appears a lot of 4WD/SUV drivers aren't given how many you see off the roads (and not even just on curves).

I went right to the source and called the RCMP and asked them what the stipulations are and was told this:

The tire must have a M+S (mud and snow rating) or have the snowflake in the mountain symbol, or have both. They DO NOT require both ratings on the tire. It is just preferred!

The tires must have at least 3.5mm of tread left on them.

And it doesn't matter if it's an 4X4 or 2WD car, they must all comply with the same rule.

Hope this clears some questions up about that.

Now catch #2
If you are using chains on dry pavement you could be subject to a fine.
so on a bright sunny day on October 10 I am driving down the hiway in a signed area using chains because the law does state oct 1 I get a fine for using chains??? HMmmmm


I've driven various routes from Calgary/Edmonton/Lethbridge to Vancouver a dozen times or more in the last two years. The signs do specifically say CARRY chains - not that you need to have them installed on your tires. There are lots of chain-up areas where you can put them on if you needed to, at least on the main Hwys 5, 1, 97c, and 3. As a visitor to BC, I just figured that if you had to have them on at all times, there would be no need for all those specifically-labeled chain-up areas in the middle of these routes...(unless you're driving through at 11:59pm Sept 30th ;)).

...I dont use them and in an accident not my fault I am fined or judged at fault cause I was carrying chains but they were not on.Hmmmmm


Hmmm indeed. I do carry the chains as per the sign, but very rarely use them as I have pretty good all-seasons. I hadn't thought of the insurance impacts - guess I'll be putting those chains on as soon as the pavement is even a little wet for next week's drive and hope someone doesn't get in my way on a dry sunny day...

jamesbw5, did you happen to ask the kind officer anything about chains?

Having driven numerous roads in BC through winter and still driving them, I believe the chain warning sign only applies to vehicles over a certain amount of weight or axles, as in trucks. It does not apply to passenger cars.
Their are signs suggesting chains be carried on some routes, on a yellow sign, but it is awarning.
Signs that are law are on a white backround. Suggested speeds and warnings are on a yellow backround.

I stand somewhat corrected, by myself no less.

Their are certain roads that say one has to carry chains. I giess I have missed those signs.
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/chains/index.htm

After reading all the posts, I'm still confused about what is required.

I'm planning on driving to Whistler after Christmas. Was planning on taking our 4WD SUV with new M&S tires. I've never had chains for it but could probably buy a set just in case. What is typically required during adverse road conditions?

The cops in West Vancouver (have to pass there on the way to Whistler unless you want to take a long diversion) are apparently checking cars headed for Whistler. If you don't have the approved tires, carry a pair of chains. If you don't open/use them, you probably can get a refund when you return to Seattle.

FWIW, I'm sure roads will close before the equivalent of California's R3 (4WD PLUS chains) comes into effect.

http://www.icbc.com/about%20ICBC/news_room/2009news_releases/nov_09#7p

Thanks for the advice. I'll get a set of chains just in case.