We're currently looking at relocating to Toronto and would be going in either January or February. Because we're not taking too much stuff (a Uhaul trailer full) and we have a car, a cat and a dog to take with us we were thinking of driving it. How insane / dangerous would it be to drive across Canada at that time? We'd have snow tires and chains obviously but I'm still not so sure...

Should be OK if you take it easy and dont push yourself through bad weather for the sake of it. Transport trucks run year round after all.

Finding accomodation that will accept the pets would probably be the trickiest thing.

It should be fun and you just need to becareful and time it well. Do it n good luck...

now that's a loooooooooooooong cold swim!

hahahaha - well spotted! Now I've amended it

One word: adventure.

Do it!!

If I could make a suggestion having travelled from manitoba to ontario in the winter many times as a kid (I know its not from vancouver), but anyway, if it were me, I would check out going through the states at some point, perhaps driving down from manitoba and going across the border again at windsor or buffalo (where we did). You would save yourself alot of miles going up and over down and out of the canadian shield. The weather can be incredibly bad that time of year. As well, unless its changed, it a long and lonely highway, not alot of hotels or gas stations. BCAA (if you belong) could probably help you.

In any case, good luck with your travels, no matter which way you travel. Drive safely, make sure you have really good tires, and the car is equipped with all the necessities in case it breaks down (blanket, flashlight, food, water, etc).....

We drove from Kelowna, BC to Halifax, NS in January this year and we had no trouble at all. We pulled a trailer and had two young kids with us.

The worst part for us was Revelstoke/Golden area (in terms of icy roads - but we just made sure we were off the road by 3.30 each day) - just make sure you have a kit incase you get stuck and SNOW CHAINS!

We needed it to pull us out (only once mind) when we got stuck on a hill in Revelstoke! At that point David did wish he had listened when I told him to practise putting them on BEFORE our trip....

I've driven from Calgary to Toronto with a dog, all Motel 6 accept pets and there are a ton of them if you make the drive through the US.