The Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported that area Canadian Tire outlets have adopted a strict “four or nothing” policy regarding winter tire sales.
A number of Halifax residents complained when Canadian Tire outlets refused to sell them two winter tires instead of a full set of four. One resident tried buying two winter tires at multiple Canadian Tire stores and was turned down every time.
"They told me I had to have snows installed all around. They said it was four or nothing. I think it is a scam to sell more snow tires," the man said, who ended up finding another retailer that would sell him two tires.
"They make up these rules for places like Ontario and Quebec where they have ton of snow. We don’t have as much snow in Nova Scotia and we shouldn’t be subjected to these rules," he told the newspaper.
According to Frank Glazer, service manager at a Canadian Tire store in Halifax, the company started enforcing the policy this year, and Canadian Tire has long tried to educate its customers on the importance of having four winter tires instead of two.
Canadian Tire, he said, has also faced a number of lawsuits from drivers who got into accidents after buying only two winter tires. Glazer said the company was blamed for not insisting the customers buy four winter tires.
"It is an established fact that four snow tires are required for maximum safety for winter driving," Glazer told the newspaper. "We’d certainly like to see the law changed to reflect the manufacturer’s requirement that automobiles be equipped with four snow tires," said Glazer.
"Most customers accept we are being strict about this for reasons of safety, since we put ourselves out there as tire experts," Glazer said, even though some of the motorists the newspaper spoke to said they should not be forced to buy “tires we do not need.”