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4 minute read Published on Aug 26, 2026 by BrokerLink Communications
Sometimes Canadian drivers make the decision to leave their winter tires on longer than necessary to save time or avoid an extra tire change. While that may seem practical, winter tires are built for cold weather and freezing temperatures. So as warm weather arrives and the snow finally melts, your snow tires should come off and your summer tires should go on instead. Read on to learn what happens when you use winter tires in the summer and what you should use instead.
Winter tires are engineered with materials and tread patterns that behave differently as temperatures start to warm up. Here's what you should know:
Winter tires are made with softer rubber, which means they stay flexible in cold temperatures. That softness is helpful in winter, but on hot road surfaces, it means the rubber for winter tires wears down much more quickly. The deeper tread blocks also move and bend more, which leads to uneven wear on the tires, such as feathering or cupping. So a set of winter tires that should last for several winters can wear down much faster than expected after just one summer of use.
Winter tires are designed to grip snow and ice. To do that, they use flexible tread blocks and many small cuts in the rubber. In warm, dry conditions, that design makes the tire less stable. The tread blocks can move more against the road, which reduces steering precision and increases stopping distance.
At higher speeds, this softer feel becomes more noticeable. On highways or during sudden braking, winter tires respond more slowly than summer or all-season tires. And on warm, dry pavement, that means longer stops and less predictable handling.
Because winter tires generally have higher rolling resistance than tires designed for warm weather, their aggressive tread patterns and softer compounds require more energy to keep moving. That extra resistance means the engine has to work harder, which increases fuel consumption. While the difference may be modest on a single trip, it can certainly add up over weeks or months of summer driving.
The best time to swap your tires is actually based on temperature and not the calendar. In Canada, the commonly recommended guideline is the 7°C rule. When daily high temperatures stay above about 7°C for five to seven consecutive days, winter tires are no longer operating in the conditions they were designed for.
But you also have to consider the differences in where you live. For example, coastal areas like those in parts of British Columbia may warm earlier in the spring, while northern or prairie regions may see more temperature swings. If temperatures fluctuate, it can make sense to wait until warmer temperatures are more consistent, especially if you commute early in the morning or travel through higher elevations.
Then in the fall, the process reverses. According to the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, once temperatures consistently remain at or below about 7°C, using proper winter tires becomes the safer choice again, as all-season and summer tires begin to harden and lose traction as temperatures fall. While most of Canada doesn’t require winter tires, both Quebec and British Columbia do require them at specific times and in certain locations. Always check your local requirements.
There are a few different tire options that are better for driving during the summer. Let's take a look:
Summer tires are designed to perform best in both dry and wet conditions in temperatures above 7°C. They use a firmer rubber compound with tread patterns that are shallower to improve their contact with dry and wet pavement. Compared with winter tires in warm weather, summer tires generally offer:
Shorter braking distances
Better cornering stability
Lower rolling resistance
Another popular option is all-season tires, which are designed to be used during the spring, summer and fall. They can also perform adequately in light snow, but are not intended for severe winter use.
These tires can be a practical year-round option with longer tread life, especially in moderate climates, but they typically don’t deliver the same braking or cornering performance as summer tires in wet driving conditions.
All-weather tires can be a good alternative for anyone who lives in a milder region that doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of swapping their tires twice a year. These tires carry a winter rating and are approved for winter driving while remaining usable all year-round. However, they give up some braking and handling performance in summer and some traction in harsh winter conditions compared with dedicated summer and winter tires.
To help your winter tires last longer and perform as expected when reinstalled, it’s important that you store them properly. Before storing them, you should clean each tire thoroughly to remove any dirt, salt and small stones. Then, you’ll want to make sure they are completely dry before you store each tire individually in sealed bags, removing as much air as possible.
Next, choose a cool, dry and dark location, away from direct sunlight and equipment like furnaces or electric motors, which produce ozone. Heat, sunlight and ozone can all cause the rubber to age faster, causing cracking or hardening over time, even when the tires are not in use.
If tires are mounted on rims, stacking them flat will help prevent distortion. If they’re not mounted, storing them upright and rotating their position occasionally can help you reduce pressure on one area of the tire to prevent flat spots.
Driving with winter tires in summer will cause problems, and the same is true for driving with summer tires in winter. That’s why it’s important to know when to change your tires. But what’s even more important is having the right car insurance in place should anything happen while you’re on or off the roads.
At BrokerLink, we can help you find the right coverage for the conditions that you regularly drive in and let you know if you may even qualify for a winter tire discount. So if you’re looking for an affordable car insurance policy that suits your needs, connect with a BrokerLink insurance broker today.
You can reach us by phone, email or in person at any one of our locations throughout Canada. You can also try out our free online quote tool that can provide you with a competitive insurance quote in minutes!
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