Winter Tire Rules in Canada: Province-by-Province Guide
Winter tire rules in Canada vary by jurisdiction. Quebec requires winter tires on most motorized road vehicles registered there from December 1 to March 15 inclusive. British Columbia requires winter tires or chains on signed highways during a seasonal window. Alberta states that winter tires are not mandated by law. Several other provinces and territories do not require winter tires but set out when studded tires may be used.
Last checked November 12, 2026. Rules and programs change, so confirm details with the official source linked below before you act.
Where winter tires are required by law
In Quebec, the requirement applies from December 1 to March 15 inclusive. The fine for non-compliance is $200 to $300 plus costs. Exceptions exist, including a period of seven days after purchase and certain emergency vehicles, and exemption certificates are available. The province’s auto insurance board, the SAAQ, advises drivers to be ready before December 1 and to fit four conforming winter tires. Details are on the SAAQ winter preparation page.
British Columbia works differently. The requirement applies only on designated highways marked with signs. On some routes it runs from October 1 to March 31. On most mountain and high-snowfall routes it runs from October 1 to April 30. Because the rule follows the signs and the route designation, check the BC designated winter tire and chain routes page for the highway you plan to use.
A passenger vehicle on those routes needs tires marked M+S or with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF), with at least 3.5 mm of tread. The fine for a passenger vehicle without the required tires where signs apply is $121. Additional fines for commercial vehicles are handled by CVSE, as the province’s enforcement page explains.
Studded tire seasons elsewhere
Outside Quebec and BC, Alberta states that winter tires are not mandated by law, and for Saskatchewan neither a mandate nor a studded tire season is confirmed. The rules that do exist concern studs. Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador each set a period when studded tires are allowed, and some attach fines to use outside it.
Ontario permits studded tires between September 1 and May 31, but only for specified groups: Northern Ontario residents and other permit holders, or non-residents for up to 30 days. On vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,500 kg or less, all wheels must be equipped. Conditions are set out in Ontario Regulation 625.
Manitoba allows safety studded tires from October 1 to April 30 and prohibits them outside those dates. The studs must be metal with an exposed tungsten carbide or ceramic core. Manitoba Public Insurance runs a Winter Tire Program that offers financing.
Prince Edward Island allows studs from October 1 to May 31, with off-season fines starting at $150. Nova Scotia allows them from October 15 to May 31. A summary offence ticket of $151.25 applies when studs protrude more than 0.3175 cm (3.175 mm).
Newfoundland and Labrador allows studs from November 1 to April 30, and its fine schedule includes an offence for using them between May 1 and October 31. In 2026, a government advisory extended the removal deadline to May 15 because of weather. Read the provincial advisory each spring for the current year.
Province-by-province table
| Jurisdiction | What applies | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Winter tires or chains required on signed routes | October 1 to March 31 or October 1 to April 30, depending on route. M+S or 3PMSF, minimum 3.5 mm tread. Fine of $121 for passenger vehicles. | Official page |
| Alberta | No winter tire mandate | Alberta Transportation states winter tires are not mandated by law. Studded tire season: Not confirmed in the official sources checked | Official page |
| Saskatchewan | Not confirmed in the official sources checked | Not confirmed in the official sources checked | Official page |
| Manitoba | Studs permitted in season; no winter tire mandate | Studs allowed October 1 to April 30 and prohibited otherwise. Specified stud construction. | Official page |
| Ontario | No winter tire mandate; studs restricted | Studs September 1 to May 31 for Northern Ontario residents and other permit holders, or non-residents up to 30 days. All wheels equipped on vehicles of 3,500 kg GVWR or less. | Official page |
| Quebec | Winter tires mandatory | December 1 to March 15 inclusive, most motorized road vehicles registered in Quebec. Fine of $200 to $300 plus costs. Exemptions and exemption certificates exist. | Official page |
| New Brunswick | Studs allowed except in a set period | Motor Vehicle Act allows studs except May 1 to October 15. The Minister may enlarge the time by order in exceptional weather. No winter tire mandate stated in the Act. | Official page |
| Nova Scotia | Studs permitted in season | October 15 to May 31. $151.25 fine for studs protruding more than 0.3175 cm (3.175 mm). No winter tire mandate in the regulation. | Official page |
| Prince Edward Island | Studs permitted in season | October 1 to May 31. Off-season fines start at $150. No winter tire mandate. | Official page |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Studs permitted in season | November 1 to April 30; extended to May 15 in 2026. Fine schedule includes an offence for use between May 1 and October 31. | Official page |
| Yukon | Studs allowed | Highways Regulation excepts studs from the general ban on projections. No seasonal window stated. No territory-wide winter tire mandate. | Official page |
| Northwest Territories | Projections prohibited, with an exemption for studded tires | Tires manufactured as studded are exempt. No dates specified. No territory-wide winter tire mandate. | Official page |
| Nunavut | Projections prohibited, with an exemption for studded tires | Tires manufactured as studded are exempt. No dates specified. No territory-wide winter tire mandate. | Official page |
Where official sources disagree on dates
New Brunswick’s three official sources do not line up. The Motor Vehicle Act allows studs except during May 1 to October 15. The Public Safety winter driving page says October 15 to May 1, and the Driver’s Handbook says October 15 to April 30. The statute is the legal reference, and the Minister can extend the period by order in exceptional weather, so check for a current order before removing studs. The Public Safety winter driving page is the place to start.
Nova Scotia has a similar gap. The Studded Tires Regulations run to May 31, while the Driver’s Handbook chapter says April 30. The regulation is the legal requirement.
In Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, tires manufactured as studded are allowed, and no seasonal window for studs is specified. If a ministerial order sets dates, it would supersede practice, so check each territory’s legislation every year.
Choosing a tire that qualifies
The mountain and snowflake symbol is the marking to look for. Federal technical standard TSD 139 allows that pictograph, a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake, on winter tires. Transport Canada recommends looking for it when shopping for winter tires. The federal Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations set the tire safety standards that provincial and territorial rules reference.
On fitting, ICBC recommends four matched winter tires with the mountain and snowflake symbol for drivers who regularly meet snow or ice. Ontario’s Driver’s Handbook recommends four winter or all-weather tires with the same tread pattern. Alberta Transportation recommends winter or all-weather tires for severe conditions.
Manitoba Public Insurance runs a Winter Tire Program that offers financing.
