Winter tire use in Canada dropped in nearly every province in 2020, according to an annual survey commissioned by the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada.
The use of winter tires has been mandated in Quebec since 2008, but other provinces offer an array of incentives for consumers to install and use winter tires.
In the 2020 survey, the 1,523 responses were divided into one of six geographic areas. The provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are combined into a single geography — and that was the only region that showed a slight increase in winter tire usage from 2019 to 2020.
Here’s a look at the 2020 results compared to 2019:
Excluding Quebec, where winter tires are required, 65% of Canadian drivers will use winter tires during the 2020-2021 season, the association says.
“Canadian drivers continue to recognize winter tires as the superior option for safe winter driving, and the increasing adoption helps prevent countless collisions and keeps our roads safer,” says Carol Hochu, CEO and president of the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. “All Canadian drivers should take advantage of shorter stopping distances and superior grip of dedicated winter tires and recognize them as an important part of their road safety equation.”
