The last word on Canadian Winters

[JulianQ101]

Originally Posted by Auld Yin

Originally Posted by Deeana
...Children freeze to death if they escape from their houses and wander across to the neighbours in the middle of the day. Within minutes. This is true, not an urban myth.

I suspect she's alluding to the situation on, I believe, a First Nations reserve a couple of years ago when two children wandered from their home in winter and froze to death. There has been a court case about it.
It is really a stupid comment regarding Canadian winters. Unfortunate things happen in every country. I wouldn't be surprised if at some time UK youngsters have died from exposure or neglect.

You might be correct. Of course in that case, which happened on a reservation, the father was blind drunk and took the 2 toddlers out at night (with only their diaper and a T-shirt on) and he then dropped them half way between the houses in his drunken state. It was in the middle of winter and the snow was knee deep. The children were found dead the next morning and the dad had severe frost bite.

It is/was a very very sad case.

But no, kids don't just die from the cold while playing outside.

[Wikinadian in the UK]

Okay so Canadian winters can be cold - very cold. But that's not a bad thing. First you have to look at where you want to go in the country and what your interests are and find the best location for you. But first off, I'm from a small community in Northern Ontario. I can recall walking to school and having my mildly damp hair freeze and if I really wanted to I could just snap it off.

I'm not one for forums, but some of the comments just made me want to reply. Someone said there was 9months of winter?? Canada is a country of four seasons, therefore the winter only can last, in earnest, for about three months. Summers are hot, springs are rainy, fall is cool, winter cold. Therefore you're not going to be stuck in perpetual winter. And winter being isolating? Not so much, not unless you don't want to engage with the season and make the best of where you are.

What does winter bring? Snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, ice hockey, shinny, curling, the building of snowmen and the creation of snow angels, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice fishing. Many people I know had their camps out on a lake where they would snowmobile out to and then have every luxury of warmth and comfort as if they were in town. You can jump into the icy cold of a winter lake and then take refuge in your own sauna and enjoy a bottle of wine.

Kids flourish in winter. Adults have gotten accustomed to this or that and may have a harder time adjusting, but with kids, there's no problem at all, just make sure they're properly dressed.

For any adult whose feeling isolated, just get out of the house. Canadians are just about the friendliest people you'll ever meet. And if you're more accustomed to meeting people in regulated ways, join a club, an organisation, whatever it takes.

I live in the UK, I'm moving to New Zealand, I'm not going to kid you, it gets COLD, but it's a brilliant place and if you're going to let the weather get in your way, you're definitely missing out.

[miraculousmedal]

Auld Yin,

I believe for immigrants who are planning to go to Canada, it is better to land between April and November. Yup! Very cold could be shocking especially for those with children.... Right? At least, it will be a "little" gradual change.... Right?

[Magnum]

Originally Posted by Wikinadian in the UK

What does winter bring? Snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, ice hockey, shinny, curling, the building of snowmen and the creation of snow angels, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice fishing. Many people I know had their camps out on a lake where they would snowmobile out to and then have every luxury of warmth and comfort as if they were in town. You can jump into the icy cold of a winter lake and then take refuge in your own sauna and enjoy a bottle of wine.

Don't forget that you can only see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the winter!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy)

I was born in Vietnam, came to Canada when i was a year old and I still live in Canada at 30. I plan to move move to Australia in a year.

My grandparents and my Aunt came to Canada (we lived in near Vancouver at the time) in 1990 from Vietnam. A few years later they adapted to the cold. My grandparents took a little longer to adapt but they lived 50+ years in a tropical climate. Its really is up to the individual.

From my experience, we get 2 weeks of cold snap in late January and early february. During those times, you can still go to indoor events, go to work, go buy groceries. Cover exposed skin during the -40 weather or else you may experience what we call a minor frostbite. We still go to work and out to social gatherings during these 2 weeks.

It gets incredibly cold here, just be smart about it. Wear clothing appropriate to the weather, don't stick your tongue on frozen metal surfaces, keep your socks dry, etc. If you do go anywhere during the cold winter months, plan out a safe ride to and from your destination.

The weather is different all across Canada. You will need to do some research to find out what the weather is like where you plan to move to. On the plus side, our summers can get quite warm (+37C) so a lot of people like to go camping near a lake to enjoy the water.

No matter what the weather is, very warm, very cold or somewhere in between. Its a topic everyone has an opinion about and an easy way to open a conversation at any social event.

The winters can be cold in Canada but Canadians have warm hearts.

[ChungyUK]

Originally Posted by Magnum

Don't forget that you can only see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the winter!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy)

I was born in Vietnam, came to Canada when i was a year old and I still live in Canada at 30. I plan to move move to Australia in a year.

My grandparents and my Aunt came to Canada (we lived in near Vancouver at the time) in 1990 from Vietnam. A few years later they adapted to the cold. My grandparents took a little longer to adapt but they lived 50+ years in a tropical climate. Its really is up to the individual.

From my experience, we get 2 weeks of cold snap in late January and early february. During those times, you can still go to indoor events, go to work, go buy groceries. Cover exposed skin during the -40 weather or else you may experience what we call a minor frostbite. We still go to work and out to social gatherings during these 2 weeks.

It gets incredibly cold here, just be smart about it. Wear clothing appropriate to the weather, don't stick your tongue on frozen metal surfaces, keep your socks dry, etc. If you do go anywhere during the cold winter months, plan out a safe ride to and from your destination.

The weather is different all across Canada. You will need to do some research to find out what the weather is like where you plan to move to. On the plus side, our summers can get quite warm (+37C) so a lot of people like to go camping near a lake to enjoy the water.

No matter what the weather is, very warm, very cold or somewhere in between. Its a topic everyone has an opinion about and an easy way to open a conversation at any social event.

The winters can be cold in Canada but Canadians have warm hearts.

So is Vancouver cold right now? as I may be heading over to Vancouver in Feb 2010 I'm afraid it may be a little chilly. Would choosing Vancouver over Toronto a wise move if one wants to get a good career in the IT industry. As I've already been to Toronto and yet to see Vancouver it certainly intrigues me indeed.

Can anyone give me the lowdown on the weather in Vancouver all year round and career opportunities too. Thank you!

[Magnum]

Originally Posted by ChungyUK

So is Vancouver cold right now? as I may be heading over to Vancouver in Feb 2010 I'm afraid it may be a little chilly. Would choosing Vancouver over Toronto a wise move if one wants to get a good career in the IT industry. As I've already been to Toronto and yet to see Vancouver it certainly intrigues me indeed.

Can anyone give me the lowdown on the weather in Vancouver all year round and career opportunities too. Thank you!

Hello ChungyUK,

That is a difficult one to answer. Cold to me is -32 with a wind chill of -40. If you are not familiar with the term wind chill, what i am trying to say is "Its -32 outside but with the wind, it feels like -40". Depends on what kind of weather you are used to, it may be cold regardless. Winter usually starts in November and ends in march. So out of the 4 months of winter, about 3 weeks of it is extremely cold. You will get used to this like everyone else here. So the rest of the 8 months of no snow, enjoy it while you can.

The weather in Vancouver is lower in temperature compared to the other provinces, but it gets a fair amount of rain. Vancouver has a lot of cloudy days. Currently, it is 0 degrees celcius in Vancouver, BC and it is -14 degrees Celcius in Regina, Saskatchewan where I am now. In the summer time, it is hot and humid in Vancouver.

We wear thick winter coats in the winter, autumn jackets during the fall, shorts and light clothing in the summer and raincoats/rubber boots in the spring.

We have a large group of people from Bangalore, India who arrived here a month ago. They are working with us at the company i work at. It is -14 degrees Celcius today. The fellow i work with directly said it is very cold so he wears a thick jacket, gloves, a toque and scarf. Its always a shock to the system if you are not used to ice and snow. As the years go by, they too will adapt. If i were in a different climate like the Sahara desert, i too would have a difficult time with the weather. I would probably dress like the locals to make things more bearable.

Keep this in mind, almost all of the buildings in Canada are insulated and heated. In the winter we go outside to play in the snow, toboganing, go ice skating, and even skiiing. Its something a lot of people like to do. If you are a home-body, you will probably stay home anyway regardless of the season. We have public transportation in all of the cities if you need to go anywhere.

Our summers: Wear sunblock or light clothing that covers most of your skin and a hat. You CAN get sunburnt here.

As a side note to not get too far off topic. I am in IT here in Regina, Saskatchewan. I've had many friends move to Alberta and some to BC to start their career. Few have been sucessful but due to high cost of living and high levels of competition they end up coming back to Saskatchewan. Vancouver and Toronto are massive in size and are highly competitive for IT positions. They can be very expensive for cost of living. Do not let this discourage you. We have programs that will assist you in finding affordable housing and jobs. If you are specialized in a high demand field of IT, you may be okay.

If you have any other work-related questions or other questions not related to Canadian winters, i would recommend starting a new post as not many will see it in under a topic called "The last word on Canadian Winters". Just a suggestion.

I hope this helps.

[Auld Yin]

Originally Posted by ChungyUK

So is Vancouver cold right now? as I may be heading over to Vancouver in Feb 2010 I'm afraid it may be a little chilly. Would choosing Vancouver over Toronto a wise move if one wants to get a good career in the IT industry. As I've already been to Toronto and yet to see Vancouver it certainly intrigues me indeed.

Can anyone give me the lowdown on the weather in Vancouver all year round and career opportunities too. Thank you!

Vancouver winters are very much like those in the UK, wet and chilly with the occasional snow. Summers are far better than those in the UK. For IT jobs Toronto is considered better because of its size and it's the major centre for finance and light industry, but there is an active IT industry in Vancouver.
You "may" be heading to VC in Feb,2010? You are aware that the Olympics are on at that time and hotels will be full and getting around somewhat more difficult. But, perhaps that's the reason you're going.

May I say, you've been asking similar questions on this forum for quite some time. You seem totally incapable of making decisions. At some point you have to decide what it is you want to do. There is a saying in Canada. "You're going to have to fish or cut bait"

[New-life]

Hi Guys

In case i've missed it has anyone an update on the climate in Nova Scotia?

Thanks

[m field]

could you tell me any towns/cities in Ontario that is maybe slightly milder????? - is this possible??? We are a family in our early 30's with 3 young children who want to emigrate my husband is a gas and plumbing engineer and we are thinking of coming out on a temporary work visa - obviously if he can get work, to see how we get on. Hoping to come out for a fact finding trip this year. Any towns/city names would be greatly appreciated????? (we do have books and have some places in mind but would be good to hear from the horses mouth). Its so hard to find the right destination. Any information would be appreciated
thanks

[JGK]

I'll still take a Canadian winter over a British one any time. I've experienced winters in Quebec, Ontario and now Saskatchewan. OK, -30 to -40 (and that never to be forgotten -56 in Edmonton) is cold.

However, most of the time it's a dry cold and infinitely better than the cool and dampness of the UK. If you dress up right I don't have a problem in -10 to -20 weather.