In Vancouver this mostly works because it is cold but not cold enough. There are only a few days where it is very sketchy. The rest of Canada is not like this.
Studded tires. This is an investment but it works. Caveat is you need space to store them on a second set of wheels or bike because you don't want to ride them all year long so it is not for everyone.
'space to store them on a second set of wheels' This probably explains everything about this discussion. I think im dealing with very poor people (Europeans).
I think I have space in my pool shed or my other shed. Worst case I will put them in one of my many empty rooms.
Again, if you'd just look at the example provided: the coldness really isn't the issue. I checked a few major Canadian cities, and Oulu was similar or colder, looked like, and it has plenty of biking going on.
Investment is the issue. Cities and countries largely aren't willing to invest anywhere close to the same money into bikes the same way they do cars, and then everyone feigns surprise that this somehow makes biking harder and less popular.