Reminder for drivers: Winter tires now mandatory on many B.C. highways
Winter is still months away, but winter tires or chains will be required on most highways through British Columbia starting Friday.
The provincial Ministry of Transportation says the rules will be enforced mostly by police or ministry officials, and that drivers who do not comply could face a $121 fine and have their trip interrupted.
Others may be turned back for non-compliance.
The ministry says the fines can be applied after Oct. 1, regardless of whether there's actually any snow on the ground. The weather may be clear and warm, but drivers can still be fined through April 30 if they aren't adhering to signage.
In most areas, winter tire and chain rules are in effect until the end of April, but on select highways that do not include mountain passes or aren't in high snowfall areas, the restriction lifts on the last day of March.
A public document posted by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia shows dozens of tickets were handed out for improperly equipped vehicles in 2020, though it was not immediately clear how many were tied specifically to snow tires and chains.
The ministry website recommends using four matched winter tires and says both the all-season "mud and snow" (M+S) tires and the three-peaked "mountain/snowflake" tires meet the legal winter tire requirements in B.C.
“It is the responsibility of all drivers to ensure they have the correct winter tires on designated routes,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told CTV News in a written statement on Tuesday. “This, along with other safe driving behaviours such as slowing down, putting your phone out of reach, and not drinking and driving, can make a big difference in getting everyone home safely.”
More information on which routes require winter tires and/or chains can be found on the transportation ministry website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.