CAA-Quebec kicks off Winter Tire Appointment Week
CAA-Quebec wants the first week of October to become Quebec’s official Winter Tire Appointment Week. Really? Really. Between the labour shortage and the new earlier legal deadline for winter tires (December 1), there’s likely to be a mad rush on garages that do tire changes. So the smart thing to do is to take care of it now!
CAA-Quebec Approved Auto Repair Service Locations and other mechanic shops across Quebec always struggle to hire enough hands to meet demand in the fall, and this year is no exception. If you tend to wait until winter forces you to take action, know that the new December 1 deadline leaves you very little wiggle room. That’s why it’s a good idea to think about your winter tires a little earlier in the season. Spread the word: Your winter tires need to go on before it snows!
“The first snow is too late. You run the risk of finding out they can’t fit you in before December 1 and you have to drive on summer tires in December, which is illegal—and dangerous.”
Pierre-Serge Labbé, CAA-Quebec Vice President, Automotive Services
“But you shouldn’t just put the proper tires on your car because of a law or date. More than anything, it’s a matter of good sense and road safety,” says Labbé. That’s why CAA-Quebec urges drivers to get their winter tires on in time.
October is winter tire time!
You can switch out your summer wheels as soon as any chance of heat is past. By October, summer is well and gone—no one’s going to argue with that! “Unless you’re driving hundreds of kilometres a week, there’s no harm in installing your winter tires a few weeks earlier,” says Stéphane Poirier, retail network director at ICI Pneu Touchette, a CAA-Quebec Approved Auto Repair Service Location on Boulevard Saint-Laurent in Montreal. “October is winter tire time!” say the company’s ads. October is also the perfect time to schedule a maintenance appointment and battery check ahead of the cold season.
A realistic date to change your tires
It’s actually not snow, or rain, or leaves, or a particular date that determines the right time to make the switch. It’s temperature. So-called “four-season” tires lose their grip when the mercury drops below 7 °C. These realistic dates, proposed by CAA-Quebec in consultation with The Weather Network, are the dates when the average daily high is below 7 °C for each region in Quebec. These dates are the latest you should wait to install your winter tires. But remember, they’re based on averages!
CAA-Quebec’s realistic dates for key cities in Quebec
- Sept-Îles: October 20
- Val-d’Or and Saguenay: October 25
- Rimouski and Gaspé: October 30
- Quebec City, Gatineau, and Sherbrooke: November 5
- Montreal: November 10
About CAA-Quebec
CAA-Quebec, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1904, that assists each of its members by providing mobility, travel, insurance, and residential benefits, products, and services. Every year, CAA-Quebec’s Automotive Advisory Services answers thousands of requests for information ranging from vehicle prices to gas consumption and preventive maintenance.
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