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Winter tires mandatory on most BC highways starting Tuesday

Winter is coming and so is winter tire season…
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Starting tomorrow winter tires will be mandatory on most highways in British Columbia.

The provincial law takes effect on Oct. 1 and requires drivers to equip their vehicles with winter tires if they plan to travel on certain B.C. highways in the north, interior, south coast and on Vancouver Island.

Drivers operating vehicles without the right tires on designated B.C. highways could face a $121 fine.

READ MORE: Blast of winter weather expected to hit Rocky Mountains, interior B.C.

The rules come into effect a few days after several B.C. highways saw a significant amount of snowfall this past weekend.

What’s considered a winter tire?

Winter tires are marked with a symbol of a snowflake inside a three-peaked mountain placed on the sidewall of the tire.

Mud and snow tires, marked with an M+S symbol, also qualify as winter tires, though they are less effective than winter tires.

The ministry requires winter tires to have at least 3.5 millimetres of tread remaining. More info here.

ALSO READ: Orange Shirt Day sheds light on dark history of Canada’s residential schools

Know your route before you go:

Drivers are reminded to slow down, use caution and check DriveBC when travelling during winter months.


Natalia Cuevas Huaico
Social Media Co-ordinator/ Reporter, Black Press Media


Natalia Cuevas Huaico

About the Author: Natalia Cuevas Huaico

A Vancouver-born and recent graduate of the Broadcast and Online Journalism program at BCIT, Natalia decided to jumpstart her social media and journalism career in beautiful Kelowna.
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