About Winter Tires
What Classifies as a Winter Tire?
A winter tire (on a standard passenger vehicle or a four-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicle) should have at least 3.5 mm of tread depth to provide optimal traction.
A winter tire should be labelled with either of the following:
  The letters "M" and "S", the minimum legal requirement (mud + snow/all-season tires)
  The 3-peaked mountain/snowflake symbol (some manufacturers label with both the mountain snowflake and the M+S symbol)
3-peaked mountain/snowflake tires (which include all-weather tires) offer better traction on snow and ice. We recommend drivers install 3-peaked mountain/snowflake tires for cold weather driving and, for extreme conditions, carry chains.
Summer tires are not recommended for driving during designated winter months. Chains on summer tires are not an acceptable substitute for winter tires in Alberta.
