Winter Tires & Change-Over

The trigger is temperature, not snow. Below about 7 °C the rubber in a summer or all-season tire stiffens and loses grip — on dry pavement too. In the Toronto area that is usually mid-October to early November.

Going back is the same rule in reverse — once daytime temperatures hold above 7 °C, usually mid-April. Winter rubber wears fast in the heat, so don't leave it on into May.

The first week of November through early December fills up days in advance. Book early if you want a choice of times — appointments are open online.

This is the number most people get wrong, and the difference is not the tires — it is whether the winter set has its own rims.

Two swaps a year: $100 on rims versus $200 and up without, and the gap widens with size ($120 for 19″–20″, $140 above that). A set of steel rims usually pays for itself in two or three seasons — and more to the point, it means four fewer tires forced off a rim every year, which is where bead leaks, valve stem damage and new vibrations come from.

The simplest version is buying the winter set already mounted on its own rims: Browse winter packages →

Three names that get used interchangeably, and shouldn't be:

• Winter — carries the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF). Softest in the cold, best on ice and packed snow, and the category the Ontario insurance discount recognises. Wears quickly in summer heat.
• All-weather — also 3PMSF-rated and can stay on year-round. A fair choice for garage-parked city commuting; still not a true winter tire on ice.
• All-season — M+S only. Not a winter tire, and not eligible for the discount. In this climate "all-season" really means three seasons.

Not sure which you have? Text a photo of the sidewall to (905) 475-2104 and we'll tell you.

Since 2016 Ontario insurers are required to offer a discount to drivers running winter tires. The amount varies by company, typically 2–5%.

Two things are usually needed: all four tires 3PMSF-rated (two is not enough), and an installation or purchase receipt. Ours states the model and the date, which is what the insurer or broker asks for — tell us if you need a copy reissued.