OttawaWith freezing rain in the forecast and a winter deadline around the corner, drivers in Quebec are scrambling for appointments to get their tires changed.With freezing rain on the way, mechanics warn many drivers still haven’t made the switchCameron Mahler · CBC News · Posted: Nov 15, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Quebec’s winter tire deadline is Dec. 1. Failing to make the change in time could result in fines ranging from $200 to $300, plus fees. (Charles Contant/CBC)With freezing rain in the forecast and a winter deadline around the corner, drivers in Quebec are scrambling for appointments to get their tires changed.Many are discovering they’ve left it too late.”We’re pretty much booked for a good two weeks solid,” said Marc Prudhomme, owner of Garage Nistech in Gatineau.Freezing rain is expected across parts of western Quebec this weekend, and it’s coming just ahead of the province’s Dec. 1 cutoff when summer and all-season tires must be replaced with winter ones.Drivers who don’t make the change and who are involved in collisions or traffic stops after the deadline can face fines ranging from $200 to $300, plus fees.For Prudhomme, that means a packed schedule. “The past couple of weeks it’s just been non-stop tires pretty much every day,” he said.Staff shortage isn’t helpingPrudhomme said bookings started unusually early this year, prompted by an early November snowfall. That led to an “unusual” number of calls in just a couple days, he said.He said a staff shortage has also posed problems, but added it’s an industry-wide issue.”Back in the day, we used to have tire-specific changers that would come in part time, just for the rush, and get it done for us,” he said. “I don’t know why, but it’s getting harder and harder to hire these people.”Despite widespread warnings of slippery roads and the looming deadline, many drivers are still procrastinating. Automotive expert Jesse Caron with CAA Quebec said some still wait until the last possible moment to make the switch.”For those people who have not yet made an appointment, good luck,” he said. “There’s probably no hope if you’re calling today.”Caron said CAA-approved service providers are telling the association that nearly one-third of their regular customers still haven’t booked appointments.Caron said swapping tires isn’t just the law, it’s also highly advisable to ensure safe road travel.”When the temperature drops below 7 C on average, all-season tires become harder,” he said. “There’s simply less grip on any kind of surface, even if it is dry.” Busting tire mythsCaron also wants to bust the myth that installing winter tires too early causes damage. “If you installed your winter tires as soon as mid-October … they won’t degrade prematurely,” he said, adding that the occasional warm day is not enough to harm them.He also stressed the difference between all-season and all-weather tires, explaining that only all-weather tires with the mountain snowflake symbol meet Quebec’s legal requirement. But even those are a poorer option than winter-specific tires, he said.Prudhomme said people should know by now that this is the time of year to make the switch.”Everybody seems to be surprised that the snow is coming. But at the start of November, it always snows,” he said.While winter tires are mandatory in Quebec between Dec. 1 and Mar. 15, Ontario has no such regulation.ABOUT THE AUTHORCameron is an Ottawa-based journalist with CBC News. He’s worked with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo covering elections, local news, and city council. Cameron also interned with CBC Toronto’s Enterprise Unit. Contact Cameron with story ideas at cameron.mahler@cbc.ca. Follow Cameron on X @cam_mahlerWith files from Charlotte Tremblay
Non-stop tires: Quebec garages slammed ahead of Dec. 1 winter tire deadline
