With a mandatory snow-tire law coming into effect in Quebec on Dec. 15, Kingston stores have sold out of many sizes and brands of radials.
"If you haven’t got your snow tires now, chances are, you’re probably not going to find them this year," said Brad Johnston, store manager at Kal Tire in Kingston’s west end.
He said there is a definite link between what’s going on in Quebec and the winter tire shortage in Kingston.
"There has been an overwhelming demand for snow tires in the Quebec market and quite a few of the tires that were slated for the Ontario market got shipped that way," he said.
Many Quebecers are even making the drive to Kingston to get winter tires.
"People are calling from all parts of Ontario and Quebec and I’ve even had some calls from Newfoundland and New Brunswick – people are looking for tires from everywhere," Johnston said.
"It’s been that tough. … I actually had a guy from Montreal drive to Kingston to get his tires installed. He said they were too busy to do it."
Quebec is the first province to introduce a mandatory winter-tire law, which will be in effect from mid-December until Mar. 15 for all vehicles registered in the jurisdiction.
Motorists who don’t comply with the new legislation face fines of up to $300.
With no phase-in period, Quebecers have been rushing out to get the tires installed.
The new law has led to heightened demand and rumblings of shortages of some tire sizes in areas across Canada.
In Quebec, where winter tires are especially hard to find, there’s been a rash of brazen thefts, including the jacking of tires right off personal vehicles. Fifty new tires were also stolen from a dealership in Trois-Rivieres, about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City.
The tire shortage has also resulted in an increased interest in selling used tires over the Internet, which has experts advising people to check date codes on the tires or ask for proof of purchase with a date.
Johnston said the rush to get snow tires in Kingston started back in September, at least a month earlier than the busy time that happens every year.
"By now, the more popular [tire] sizes are very hard to come by," he said.
On Saturday, tire outlets across the city were busy with people trying to buy tires or to get their old radials installed.
"As far as the number of phone calls that we’re receiving goes and the ability to fill the orders, we can’t fill the demand, that’s for sure," Johnston said.
The problem, he said, is that meeting the demand isn’t as simple as calling up a tire manufacturer and requesting more tires.
"Most of this product is produced in early spring and tire companies place their orders based on what they feel the demand will be [the following winter]," he said.
"The tire companies and factories will fill those orders with a little extra just in case. But with the overwhelming demand from Quebec, none of us realized that the demand for snow tires would be as high as it’s been."
Over the weekend in Kingston, many motorists had to be turned away from dealers because the tires they needed to fit their car were sold out.
Tanja Doiron was one of those people.
"Frustrating," was all she could say after learning that Costco didn’t have the winter tires she needed.
Doiron said she had decided it was time to get snow tires this year for the first time and was disappointed when she ran into trouble finding the right ones.
"Every winter, the conditions seem to be getting worse," she said. "We wanted to be prepared, but now I guess we may have to wait another year."
Jeremy Bennett, store manager at Midas on Princess Street, said it’s been the busiest year for snow tires that he’s ever experienced.
He estimated that as many as 30% to 40% of his customers this season are first-time snow-tire buyers.
He attributes the increase in people buying snow tires to the publicity surrounding the shortage of winter radials that started in Quebec.
"Tire companies are also educating people about the reasons to install winter tires," he said. "Cars can stop so much better with them on."
Bennett said the store he runs hasn’t completely sold out of winter tires, but some sizes are getting low and he’s had to turn a few people away because he hasn’t had the right tires in stock.
Bob Martin, manager of Jiffy Auto Service a little further west on Princess Street, said he’s had to turn away as many as 30% of the people who’ve either called or dropped into the shop looking for snow tires.
"Everybody is running scared – afraid they’re not going to get them," he said.
Martin also believes that last winter’s heavy snowfall caught a lot of Ontario drivers off guard and this year, people wanted to be prepared.
"I think that’s a big thing, and I think people think that maybe the [Quebec] law will come here," he said.
Jiffy Auto Service is in fact so busy with people wanting to install winter tires that the earliest available appointment at the shop is during the first week of December. (Tire Review/Akron)
