Studded winter tires must be off by June 1, police warn

Studded winter tires. (East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police)

Sudbury — The East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police is reminding motorists that their studded winter tires must be off their vehicles before June 1.

Studded tires can only be used between Sept. 1 and May 31 throughout Ontario.

"Winter driving can be challenging, and while Quebec is the only province where it's mandatory for every vehicle to have winter tires, all Canadian provinces recommend installing four winter tires when the mercury drops below 7 C," police said in a news release.

"Winter tires have replaced what used to be called snow tires. The difference is in the tread pattern and rubber compound. Snow tires had deeper grooves for gripping the snow, but the rubber got hard when it was cold and didn't work so well on ice.

"Today's winter tires have a tread designed to grip both snow and ice by remaining soft in the cold. Transport Canada recommends installing four winter tires to maintain control and stability of your vehicle in icy conditions."