Winter tire deadline passes for Quebec drivers
As of Dec. 1, all drivers in Quebec must have winter tires on their vehicles.
The winter tire law lasts until March 15. Anyone caught without winter tires on their vehicle could face fines from police of between $200 and $300.
Despite the deadline for winter tires passing, tire shops in Quebec were busy Wednesday.
"We do have quite a bit of people that come in last minute and after the deadline," says Riley MacGregor, Manager of Bristol Auto Performance in Shawville and Bristol. "We always try to get our regular customers in and promote to get them on as soon as possible, because we could start getting bad weather as soon as October and as soon as the temperature starts to drop below seven degrees."
There is no winter tire law in Ontario, but MacGregor hopes one will come in soon. The auto shop manager also runs a towing business and says despite the lack of snow on the ground, he's already been called to some avoidable crashes.
"There was a car spun out in the ditch and I got a chance to take a look at what was on there," MacGregor tells CTV News. "There wasn't even much left of the summer tires that were on it."
Despite MacGregor's shop being booked solid with winter tire appointments Wednesday, most drivers in and around Shawville seemed to be prepared.
"It's been in effect for a while, I think it used to be the 15th," says driver Nick Renaud, who got his snow tires on a week ago. "Now we just put them on ahead of time to save the fine."
Renaud says he has no problem with the fines associated with the winter tire law, which has become a regular part of winter for Quebecers.
"Not at all, I guess we're used to it now. It's been in effect for a while, they just moved the date ahead now. I mean it's hard nowadays because who knows if we're going to have snow or a mild winter."
Driver Billy Telford also got his winters on well in advance.
"Couple weeks ago, got the tires studded," says Telford from the seat of his pickup truck. "A little afraid I'm wearing on the studs; we need snow."
That's another aspect MacGregor appreciates about Quebec's winter tire law.
"I highly like to promote the studded tires if you can," says the mechanic, adding the studs bite into the ice and snow, allowing for greater peace of mind. "Unfortunately, Ontario doesn't run studded tires, but if you are Quebec plated you can run studded tires."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.