Quebec winter tire law hits the skids

from The Globe and Mail - Ingrid Peritz, December 11th, 2008

MONTREAL — The sought-after commodity in Canada this season is proving to be rubber — preferably with good tread. Call it a Canadian tire crisis. With the imminent arrival of a mandatory winter tire law in Quebec, some retailers as far away as Halifax and Vancouver say they're facing a shortfall.

Some drivers are heading across the U.S. border in search of winter wheels, while others are resorting to stealing them. "I'm getting over 200 calls a day and the phone will still be ringing when I leave tonight," a harried Gary Bastin, a tire distributor in Toronto, said yesterday between calls. "Customers are so frustrated, but there are no tires around. In 38 years, I've never seen anything like it."

The crunch comes as Quebec prepares to become the first province to make winter tires compulsory. The law, which takes effect Monday, is meant to reduce wintertime fender-benders. But it may be having some unintended consequences. Police in the province have reported isolated winter tire thefts — some of them off parked cars — while some retailers outside the province say winter tires have become as scarce these days as goodwill in Ottawa.

"I'm getting calls from out west — they're saying to me that Quebec took all the tires," said Jay Zinniger of Talon Tires in Montreal. "It's a national-unity tire crisis."

In St. John's, public works director Paul Mackey said he struggled to find winter tires for his fleet of pickups this year.

In Cornwall, Ont., retailer Dale Seguin said he turned away 30 customers before noon yesterday. "It's been a nightmare," he said.

The Rubber Association of Canada, which represents major tire manufacturers, said producers increased the supply of winter tires this year by 50 per cent, rolling an extra 2.5 million tires into the Canadian market. Still, many Quebec retailers and distributors placed their orders early, which may have siphoned off supplies from other provinces.

Car rental companies in Quebec must also comply with the new law. Gilles Paquette of the Rubber Association said publicity generated by Quebec's law may explain the boost in demand from coast to coast. Also, consumers may be driven by memories of last year's snow-packed winter in many parts of Canada — especially given yesterday's heavy snowfall in Eastern Ontario and other areas. "I've talked to people in Vancouver, Saskatoon, even in small towns in Manitoba and New Brunswick. All across Canada, people are talking about winter tires," Mr. Paquette said. "More and more Canadians know about the advantages of winter tires. So we're seeing a surge in demand."

The Quebec National Assembly adopted the mandatory tire law based on evidence that when the temperature drops, all-season tires don't cut it. Winter tires are designed to stay flexible and more adhesive when the temperature falls, making them safer on cold and icy roads, and allowing a shorter braking distance.

"Winter tires are the way to go in winter," said George Iny of the Automobile Protection Association in Montreal. "You're less likely to lose control of your vehicle." Quebeckers are already champions of winter tires in Canada — not surprising in a province whose unofficial slogan is Mon pays ... c'est l'hiver. Studies show 90 per cent of motorists in the province already use winter treads. But studies have also shown that the remaining 10 per cent of non-users are responsible for nearly 40 per cent of wintertime accidents. Starting on Monday, anyone in the province caught without winter tires will be fined $300 to $400. The Quebec Transport Department said police across the province will have the right to pull motorists over to check for winter-tire use.