Winter tire insurance discount promised for Jan. 1 in Ontario

Commitment comes as promise to reduce rates not achieved

CBC News Posted: Oct 14, 2015 2:02 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 14, 2015 2:02 PM ET

Ontario plans to require auto insurers to offer discounts starting Jan. 1, 2016 to drivers who buy and install winter tires.

Ontario drivers with winter tires on their vehicles have been promised an insurance discount starting in January, according to Finance Minister Charles Sousa.

Effective January 1, 2016, the government will require all private insurers to offer discounts to people who buy and install winter tires, the Ministry of Finance said in a release.

The announcement today reflects a plan originally introduced in the provincial budget in April.

Winter tires "enhance safety and reduce the likelihood of collisions by improving traction, braking and handling in frost, snow, slush and under cold and icy conditions," the release stated.

The provincial government has been under fire for not meeting its pledge to reduce auto insurance rates by 15 per cent this fall. 

• Insurance rates up, despite Liberal pledge
• Ontario drivers overpaid $840M for auto insurance, study says

Earlier this month, Sousa named former WSIB head David Marshall as an auto insurance adviser "to identify additional opportunities for auto insurance reform," according to a government release.

I would like to acknowledge CBC News for the publication of this article. This content was sourced on January 26, 2016.