Is it full-time or shift-on-the-fly? Are you worried about the loss in gas mileage? I would recommend AWD or 4WD since you live in Canada and studded snow tires aren't an option for you. IMHO, small loss in gas mileage is worth the peace of mind and safety. If you decide to get AWD/4WD and have never driven it before, be sure to try it out on snow and wet pavement in a parking lot before you hit the roads -- the vehicle behaves differently than either front- or rear-wheel drive.