MPI restricts loan program to winter tires only

Manitoba Public Insurance is getting strict about its winter tire program after years in which customers used it to buy other types of tires.

As of Oct. 1, only tires that are “designed and marketed solely for winter driving conditions, including snow and ice,” will be eligible for financing through the public insurer.

Currently, all-weather, all-season, four-season and year-round tires are included in the program, which allows MPI clients to pay the cost in monthly installments. The program, established in 2014, offers financing for up to $2,000, plus interest.

In an email to retailers, MPI says the program is being changed so it “helps ensure customers receive the full winter-driving safety benefits associated with dedicated winter tires.”

By only allowing loans for winter tires that meet the Crown corporation’s specifications, MPI is “realigning the program with its original intent,” spokesperson Kristy Rydz said in an email.

“Research shows that winter tires reduce collisions by 6.3 per cent, and vehicles equipped with winter tires may experience less severe damage in crashes,” Rydz wrote.

“By focusing funding on tires that provide the greatest safety benefits for winter driving conditions, we hope this change will contribute to fewer collisions on Manitoba roads during the season.”

Patrick McDevitt, assistant manager of Fountain Tire at 140 Warman Rd., said Thursday the change could result in unintended consequences.

“I don’t think (MPI) are going to eliminate the problem, they’re just going to create a new one,” said

He said fewer vehicle owners may choose to buy winter tires, while others will use winter tires year-round and wear them out faster.

“I don’t think (MPI) are going to eliminate the problem, they’re just going to create a new one.”

He said drivers could use tires longer than the recommended shelf life because they were told by a mechanic to wait another year and then finance a new pair of all-season tires ahead of the coming winter.

Garage owner Avery Ross, who has worked in mechanic shops since the program was established, said he’s helped thousands of customers use the program.

Since opening AdvoCar Vehicle Maintenance Service in Headingley in 2019, he deals with about 300 drivers who finance tires through MPI annually. He has seven outstanding orders for winter tires.

“This will definitely make us more busy,” he said. “On the whole, this is good for the industry, but it will affect the demographic that is already at the end of their rope (financially).”

Many drivers choose to finance all-season or all-weather tires through the MPI program but drive on them all year long to save money. Now, they will have to buy two sets and pay for maintenance and storage, Ross explained.

Ross and McDevitt said they suspect some drivers exploited the winter tire program by buying tires they had no intention of using in the winter.

“I understand both sides of the coin, but I feel like the one side of the coin got abused too much by some some shops out there, and that in turn has taken away that availability for some people,” McDevitt said.

There were more than 65,000 active loans under the program as of December 2025, MPI data shows. That includes drivers with more than one loan.

The number of loans fluctuates seasonally, with a higher number of active loans in late fall and winter, Rydz said.

Specific data on the types of tires financed was not available Thursday.

“It’s good for the business owners, but will mean higher interest rates for drivers who already can’t pay out of pocket for what they need.”

McDevitt says MPI should create two programs instead of excluding all-season tires. If a new program were created, MPI could have charged the same or more interest on year-round tires.

“This will ultimately mean an influx of people using third-party financiers to afford tires that are out of their price range. It’s good for the business owners, but will mean higher interest rates for drivers who already can’t pay out of pocket for what they need,” McDevitt said.

Retailers will be responsible for ensuring only eligible tires are submitted for financing.

Besides winter tires, drivers can also finance rims, tire mounting, balancing and alignment, tire pressure monitoring systems, storage as well as seasonal switchovers if they were included in the initial purchase.

Rydz said winter tires are made with flexible rubber compounds for better grip in winter conditions, and they have better traction at colder temperatures than all-season tires.

“While many Manitobans believe that all-season tires are sufficient, tests show a full set of winter tires stop much faster on ice,” she wrote.

The highest number of collisions reported to MPI occur between November and March.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca