Winter storm worries prompt early planning in Saint John

The record-breaking winter last year is prompting many New Brunswickers to start getting ready early but some are now finding they aren't the only ones thinking ahead.

• Saint John drops blanket ban on overnight winter parking

• Saint John smashes 52-year-old snowfall record

Saint John smashed a 52-year-old snowfall record when a cumulative 470 centimetres of snow had blanketed the city by March.

With the temperature now starting to fall below freezing, many New Brunswickers are getting prepared just in case winter starts early.

One of the first items on the checklist of many people is getting their winter tires on their vehicles.

Some mechanics are already reporting a three-week-long waiting list for tire changes.

Stephen Marr, a Saint John mechanic, said he can get customers in a shorter period of time but he said people have learned not to put this annual task off.

"It was unbelievable," Marr said.

"It never stopped snowing and we were changing tires continuously until January."

Once the snow tires on their vehicles, some people start thinking about how they are going to clear the snow out of their driveways so they can park their cars.

That could also be a problem.

Brand new snowblowers are selling quickly at Halifax Seed in Saint John.

"We are extremely busy," said Shawn Cawley.

Cawley said the older models that have experienced a few storms in the past aren't selling as quickly.

"There's a lot of wear and tear on the equipment, especially the older machines," he said.

"So that's why we have an overabundance of equipment here now."