Best Communities

Where to find the best weather in Canada 2019

Two provinces dominated this ranking of best communities for weather in Canada

Summerland, British Columbia (Kathryn Hatashita Lee/iStock)

There’s nothing Canadians love more than talking about the weather and when they’re choosing a place to live, minimizing the number of days they’ll spend shovelling snow can be an important factor. 

For the most desirable weather, no province in the country comes close to B.C.

Summerland and Penticton, the two communities southwest of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley, topped our list this year for best weather. They’re virtually tied for warm summers and mild winters, with community averaging about 129 days above 20°C, and 255 days above 0°C.

PHOTOS: 10 best communities for weather in Canada

Canada’s second-warmest province is Ontario, where Kingsville, Leamington and Chatham-Kent—three communities in the Windsor-Essex region, the southernmost point in Canada—stand out as having consistently more temperate climates than the rest. Toronto, which isn’t particularly known for its great weather, has milder winters compared to the rest of Canada than you might realize, with 264 days per year above 0°C.

Mild winters are the most important factor in our ranking of the cities with the best weather, with seven out of 10 points in the category dedicated to the number of days above 0°C. We also reward communities with dry climates, with two points dedicated to the number of days per year without rain or snow. Finally, we considered warm summers, giving one point for lots of days above 20°C.

READ: Why supercharged small towns are better than big cities

Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., is the only city outside of B.C. and Ontario to break into the top 50 of the best communities for weather. The off-island suburb, just east of Montreal, enjoys 287 days above zero degrees and has 154 days of rain or snow a year.

Maclean’s Best Communities in Canada ranks 415 cities across the country based on 10 categories: Wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities and culture. For more information, please see the methodology page.

Search to filter by city or province:

City name Province Rank Days per year with rain or snow Days per year above 0C Days per year above 20C
Summerland BC 1 119.2 254.6 129
Penticton BC 2 119.22 254.6 128.98
Kamloops BC 3 105.58 246 131.99
West Kelowna BC 4 119.9 246.4 123.8
Lake Country BC 5 131.4 268 115.4
Kingsville ON 6 129.3 246.1 123.7
Leamington ON 7 129.33 246.1 123.67
Chatham-Kent ON 8 137.07 246.9 132.09
Toronto ON 9 145.49 264.4 117.23
Essex ON 10 133.5 243.3 137.6
Amherstburg ON 11 133.5 243.3 137.6
LaSalle ON 12 149.5 248.9 138.9
Lakeshore ON 13 149.5 248.9 138.9
Tecumseh ON 14 149.5 248.9 138.9
Windsor ON 15 149.54 248.9 138.85
Thorold ON 16 119.7 239.7 115.3
Colwood BC 17 148.6 346.6 56.9
Langford BC 18 148.6 346.6 56.9
Esquimalt BC 19 148.6 346.6 56.9
Vernon BC 20 135.78 249 107.54
Burlington ON 21 135.77 239 125.32
Mont-Saint-Hilaire QC 22 154.7 287.8 117
Pelham ON 23 128.2 239.7 115.3
St. Clair ON 24 137.6 233.9 129
Delta BC 25 155 343.8 64.28
Mississauga ON 26 126.19 242.4 102.78
North Cowichan BC 27 154.2 285.2 104.7
White Rock BC 28 157.4 343.8 64.3
Sooke BC 29 158.6 346.6 56.9
Port Colborne ON 30 153.2 244.6 116.6
Victoria BC 31 155.05 319.2 78.88
Haldimand County ON 32 153.23 244.6 116.56
Sidney BC 33 155.1 319.2 78.9
St. Catharines ON 34 150.68 238.1 127.47
Niagara-on-the-Lake ON 35 150.7 238.1 127.5
North Saanich BC 36 158.5 334 70.5
Central Saanich BC 37 158.5 334 70.5
Saanich BC 38 158.51 334 70.54
Brampton ON 39 145.94 228.7 122.26
Sarnia ON 40 149.98 232.5 120.81
Nelson BC 41 162.53 262.4 115.19
Belleville ON 42 148.62 229.3 117.15
Grimsby ON 43 162.8 244.2 121.4
Lincoln ON 44 162.8 244.2 121.4
West Lincoln ON 45 162.8 244.2 121.4
Fort Erie ON 46 152.3 229.7 119.6
Whitby ON 47 145.68 239 100.48
Ajax ON 48 145.68 239 100.48
Pickering ON 49 145.68 239 100.48
Oshawa ON 50 145.68 239 100.48
Lambton Shores ON 51 153.9 228.6 122.1
Strathroy-Caradoc ON 52 152 226.7 123.3
Loyalist ON 53 147.2 238.6 103.2
Welland ON 54 151.77 226.5 125.67
Oakville ON 55 117.55 221.7 107.18
Port Hope ON 56 138.58 235.4 94.51
St. Thomas ON 57 159 229.8 127.6
Central Elgin ON 58 159 229.8 127.6
Uxbridge ON 59 143.1 220.8 118.74
Coldstream BC 60 140.5 220.4 121.9
Brant ON 61 135.6 218.2 124.6
Brantford ON 62 135.6 218.2 124.55
Cornwall ON 63 150.11 224.1 119.94
Cobourg ON 64 123.57 224.2 96.36
Brighton ON 65 123.57 224.2 96.36
Hamilton (Township) ON 66 123.6 224.2 96.4
West Vancouver BC 67 168.94 324.4 76.5
Hamilton (City) ON 68 156.23 226.8 120.19
Chilliwack BC 69 189.87 313.7 109.76
Middlesex Centre ON 70 156.6 226.2 124.9
Prince Edward County ON 71 153.4 223.8 118.9
Langley (District Municipality) BC 72 194.47 311.6 109
Langley (City) BC 73 194.47 311.6 109
Abbotsford BC 74 179.45 312.3 100.3
South Huron ON 75 153.4 224.9 116.3
Burnaby BC 76 178.27 326.3 82.54
Vancouver BC 77 171.12 330.5 53.08
Niagara Falls ON 78 170.66 240.8 124.49
Comox BC 79 172.56 316.4 76.21
Courtenay BC 80 172.56 316.4 76.21
Surrey BC 81 178.02 315.8 89.04
Nanaimo BC 82 175.64 293.7 96.89
Powell River BC 83 179.13 322.8 77.82
Brockville ON 84 154.9 226.6 111.03
Elizabethtown-Kitley ON 85 154.9 226.6 111
Richmond BC 86 183.84 305.3 99.52
Squamish BC 87 178.4 299 93.1
Mission BC 88 186.5 325.1 81.2
Port Moody BC 89 170.41 304.3 72.48
Clarington ON 90 146.36 219.4 110.56
Norwich ON 91 148.3 217 211.5
Rideau Lakes ON 92 150.1 218.4 115.9
Kelowna BC 93 136.64 215 123.46
Oak Bay BC 94 175.6 293.2 86.2
Maple Ridge BC 95 188.1 297.5 94.4
Tillsonburg ON 96 148.26 217 121.98
Norfolk County ON 97 148.26 217 121.98
Port Alberni BC 98 190.8 276.9 105.9
New Westminster BC 99 183.1 320.3 57.03
Pitt Meadows BC 100 184 296.1 92

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