Saliem Talash: Getting a car ready for an Ontario winter, the tires, the kit and the 511 habit

Every November the same thing happens in Ontario. The first real snowfall arrives on a weekday morning, tire shops book up for weeks, and a lot of people drive to work on tires that were never meant for it.

None of this is hard to avoid. It mostly comes down to doing three things in October instead of December. This guide follows the Ontario Ministry of Transportation's winter driving page and the province's insurance regulator, as they read on October 1, 2026. I'm Saliem Talash, I build practical tools for small businesses in Toronto, and a surprising number of small businesses here depend on one car or van getting through the winter.

Step 1: get the car checked

The province's first recommendation is simple: get a maintenance checkup to make sure the vehicle is ready for winter. Book it early. The point is to find a weak battery or worn wipers in a garage in October, not at the side of the road in January.

While you are at it, two small habits from the same page:

  • Keep the fuel tank at least half full. The Ministry says this helps reduce moisture in the fuel system and adds weight to the vehicle.
  • Use washer fluid rated to -40°C, and keep an ice scraper in the car.

Step 2: winter tires, and how to recognize them

The Ministry's case for winter tires is short and specific. They improve traction and control in frost, snow and ice, and they shorten braking distances by as much as 25 per cent.

Three rules from the same page are worth knowing before you buy:

  • Install four, never two. The Ministry says to "install four winter tires" and never mix different types of tires on one vehicle.
  • Look for the symbol. The easiest way to know a tire is designed for severe snow is the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall.
  • All-season is not winter. The Ministry says all-season tires are not the same as winter tires and "can start to lose grip at 7°C." That is well above freezing, which is why a mild-looking November morning can still be a bad day for all-seasons.

On studded tires: they are allowed on vehicles registered in Northern Ontario, but not in Southern Ontario unless you are visiting from out of province or are a Northern Ontario resident. If you live in Toronto, studs are not an option.

After the tires go on, check them regularly. Cold weather lowers tire pressure, and worn or damaged tires make it harder to drive safely.

Step 3: ask for the insurance discount

This one is pure money and takes one phone call. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) says: "All insurance companies must offer a discount if you install winter tires on your vehicle. Ask your insurer how to qualify."

FSRA also notes that each company applies discounts differently. So the useful question for your insurer or broker is not "do you have a winter tire discount?" (they must) but "what do I need to do to qualify, and is it on my policy now?"

Step 4: pack the winter kit

The Ministry's list for a winter survival kit kept in the vehicle is:

  • a charged phone;
  • water and non-perishable food;
  • a flashlight;
  • a blanket and warm clothes;
  • jumper cables;
  • a shovel;
  • traction mats or sand;
  • candles and a lighter or matches.

A plastic bin in the trunk holds all of it. Put it together on the same weekend the winter tires go on, so the two jobs become one habit.

Step 5: the 511 habit

Ontario 511 is the province's traveller information service. The Ministry lists three ways to reach it: the website at ontario.ca/511, the @511Ontario social account, and dialling 511 for a hands-free, voice-activated phone service. The 511on.ca site shows incidents, traffic cameras, road conditions, construction, and a "Track My Plow" map of plows on provincial highways.

The habit is a two-minute check before any drive on a highway in bad weather: the forecast, then 511. If it looks bad, the Ministry's advice is to delay the trip if you can.

Before you pull out

The Ministry asks drivers to clear ice and snow from the windows, lights, mirrors and roof before leaving. Snow left on the roof slides onto the windshield the first time you brake, or into the car behind you.

On the road

The province's on-road advice, in its own order:

  • Slow down. Many winter collisions happen because drivers are going too fast for conditions.
  • No cruise control on wet, snowy or icy pavement. It reduces reaction time and control.
  • Steer gently on curves and slippery roads. Hard braking, quick acceleration and sudden gear changes can cause a skid.
  • If you skid, release the brakes and steer in the direction you want to go, without over-steering.
  • Leave space. It takes longer to stop on slippery roads.
  • Read the road surface. Winter asphalt should look grey-white. If it looks black and shiny, it could be covered in ice. Shaded areas, bridges and overpasses freeze earlier than other sections.
  • Use full lights in poor visibility. If conditions become dangerous, pull over safely and wait.

Snowplows

Plows and salt trucks run with flashing blue lights before, during and after a storm. The Ministry is blunt: never pass a working snowplow. Blowing snow and the ridge of snow a plow leaves can hide what is ahead, and passing between or around plows can cause a severe collision. The reassuring part is that roads are plowed in sections, so the Ministry says you usually won't be stuck behind one for more than 20 to 30 minutes.

If your business runs a vehicle

For a small business, a van off the road for a week is lost work. The same rules apply, with a few additions from the Ministry's tips for commercial drivers: clear snow from the top of trailers and check lights along the route for ice build-up. The page also notes that a tractor trailer's braking distance is 4 to 10 times longer on ice than on dry road, which is a good reason to give large vehicles room.

A practical routine for a business vehicle is one calendar reminder in mid-October: book the tire swap, confirm the insurance discount, and restock the kit. One afternoon covers the whole season.

The October checklist

  1. Book a maintenance checkup.
  2. Book winter tires, all four, with the mountain snowflake symbol.
  3. Call your insurer about the winter tire discount.
  4. Put the winter kit in the trunk.
  5. Save 511 in your phone and bookmark 511on.ca.
  6. Keep the tank above half.

I keep short, practical checklists like this one on my own site, and longer pieces on ZELR. This is general information; your vehicle's manual and your insurer have the final word on your situation.

Sources

  • Government of Ontario, Ministry of Transportation: Winter driving
  • Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario: How to save on auto insurance
  • Ontario 511 (511on.ca)

Drafted with AI assistance.

More from Saliem Talash: saliemtalash.vercel.app · ZELR · YouTube

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