Photos: Winter storm drives demand for winter tires on Marine Drive

By Tom Eley and Virender Singh

With a fierce snowstorm, winter has come to south Vancouver, burying the city’s roads, and sending drivers into a rush for winter tires

This morning is not as bad as last night, said Victor Badillo, owner-operator of Fountain Tire.

“We didn’t get to shut the shop until 10 p.m. last night,” he said.

Most of Lower Mainland and surrounding areas of Vancouver experienced 15-25 cm of snowfall and 100km/h winds whipping through the city.

“Most of Marine Drive is pretty good now. We got things fixed up pretty early in the morning,” Badillo said.

During harsh winter conditions, winter tires are recommended for most routes, according to the City of Vancouver website.

“A lot of people were not prepared for last night and were driving with winter tires,” Badillo said.

Public transport did not escape the storm’s wrath, and many buses were either late or out of service.

“It will probably clear up now, but might get worse tonight or tomorrow,” Badillo said.