What Belongs in a Canadian Winter Car

A winter car kit is not paranoia. It is the difference between an inconvenient delay and a genuinely dangerous situation, particularly on rural roads and in the long stretches between Alberta towns where help is not close.

Keep the kit in the car from October through April, not in the garage. A kit at home does you no good at the side of the road.

The essentials

• A warm blanket or sleeping bag
• A full set of spare warm clothes, including boots, mittens, and a hat
• A folding shovel and a bag of sand or kitty litter for traction
• Jumper cables
• A flashlight with spare batteries
• A first-aid kit
• Non-perishable food (granola bars, nuts) and water
• A phone charger and a fully charged power bank
• A candle and matches (a single candle can warm a stranded car noticeably)
• A brightly coloured cloth or emergency triangle to signal for help

Worth considering

• A small bag of emergency cash
• A basic tool kit
• An ice scraper and snow brush (these belong in the car from the first frost regardless)
• A spare set of mittens and a wool hat for each regular passenger

When to call for help

If you are stranded, stay in the vehicle. It is shelter, it is visible, and it is where rescuers will look. Run the engine for ten minutes each hour for warmth, but first confirm the exhaust pipe is clear of snow — carbon monoxide is the quiet killer of stranded drivers.

For an active emergency, call 911 or your provincial roadside assistance. This guide is preparation, not a substitute for emergency services.