BC’s annual winter tire and chain requirements are now in effect. As of Monday October 1,2021, commercial vehicle operators are required to carry chains on most routes in BC, as indicated by roadside signs, or face fines for non-compliance. Chains are not required on the Lower Mainland and most of Vancouver Island.

Chain-up: Because there is always the possibility of snow and swiftly changing conditions as the season progresses, especially on high mountain passes, drivers should have experience chaining up before they have to do so under difficult circumstances. BCTA has partnered with Wolftrac Safety Ltd. to provide ChainSmart^TM- an online course that covers all the elements you need to know to be a competent and confident tire chain installer. The course includes 97 minutes of comprehensive best-practice knowledge and practical techniques and tips, as well as helpful resource material. Because the course is online, it can be completed at your own pace (up to 30 days), and you can repeat lessons if needed. Installation demonstrations are also provided that show you step-by-step how to install single and triple tire chains. Register for ChainSmart^TM today to ensure you are prepared for winter driving conditions.

Highway maintenance: Members with concerns about highway conditions should contact the service providers directly, and fleets may also want to follow their social media accounts for updates and to communicate. All service area contractor public reporting contact details can be found on this page. However, if you are consistently finding inadequate maintenance on specific routes, please contact the BCTA.

Additional Resources:

Tires and chains

• Government of BC’s tire and chain requirements(with details on chains and other traction devices, as required)
• Designated chain-up routes (and March 31 vs. April 30 end dates)
• Shift Into Winter page with commercial trucking resources, including on chain up, hazard recognition, and how to read the road and traction.

Winter hazard alerts

• DriveBC remains a primary source for up-to-date road conditions, including via its webcams. Sign up for e-mail notifications here
• @DriveBC twitter accounts & SMS alerts
• Chain status reports, scan for updates in red
• Plan your Route tool for a summary of road conditions and webcams for a specific route (no height clearances. This is a different planner from the onRouteBC permit tool)
• Canadian Weather – Environment Canada – note that they have a mobile weather app. On Twitter, follow @ECCCWeatherBC