Vancouver – Penticton – Calgary – Winnipeg – Toronto – Ottawa – Fredericton – Halifax
Canada’s more densely populated areas get approximately 2,000 hours of bright sunshine annually. (These are the locations within two or three hundred kilometres of the US border)
The prairies of central Canada enjoy three or four hundred hours more than this, while near the east coast (e.g. Halifax, Nova Scotia), annual sunshine levels are nearer 1,700 – 1,800 hours, lowered by fog coming in from the Atlantic Ocean.
Pacific Canada
British Columbia has rather dull (and wet) winters, compensated for by sunny summers.
Prairie Canada
Stretching across the centre of Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba enjoy more sunshine all year round than Canada’s other provinces.
Eastern Canada
Sunshine is better distributed than in Pacific Canada, so Toronto enjoys more winter sunshine than Vancouver but gets fewer sun hours during summer.
Average Sunshine Hours per Day Calgary vs Vancouver vs Toronto
Average Daily Sunshine Hours Canadian Cities Compared
| Month | Vancouver, BC |
Penticton, BC |
Calgary, AB |
Winnipeg, MB |
Toronto, ON |
Ottawa, ON |
Fredericton, NB |
Halifax, NS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 2.9 |
| Feb. | 3.0 | 2.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.0 |
| Mar. | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Apr. | 6.1 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| May | 7.4 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 9.2 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 6.3 |
| Jun. | 7.6 | 8.2 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 7.5 |
| Jul. | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 7.7 | 7.7 |
| Aug. | 8.6 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 7.2 |
| Sep. | 6.6 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.4 |
| Oct. | 4.0 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.0 |
| Nov. | 2.1 | 1.8 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.5 |
| Dec. | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 2.1 |
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I’ve lived in five provinces. Have friends and family who have lived in the far northern territories. These weather stats seem to broadly general. Valleys make a difference. Altitude makes a difference. Proximity to the ocean and Great Lakes makes a difference.
I found central/southern Saskatchewan to be very cold in winter but lots of sun (and wind). The Columbia Valley in BC is far more overcast in the NW (narrow) end than further south toward Cranbrook (which for years was the sunniest city in Canada). The north Okanogan valleys are cloudy in winter because they’re so narrow, and have lakes and rivers in them.
Prince Edward Island has the sunniest winter weather in the mainland maritimes, as far as i know. (Maybe excepting Labrador?)
I currently reside in one of the higher altitudes in central New Brunswick, where if you drive 10 minutes down, you hit fog and clouds in the valley.
Islands of both coasts are much more foggy than the coast itself, in the maritimes, while west coast mainland coastline can be just as overcast as their islands.
In my opinion, you have to ask a local person, or visit/live there for awhile. Especially with climate change and smoke pollution.
I grew up in sunny, friendly Winnipeg, then moved to Vancouver many years ago. Every October I start to feel the dread of the pending gloom of winter. Not to mention what feel is the hyper-private attitude of the locals. Looking seriously at moving to either Fredericton, Saint John and I’d be curious to hear from anyone from there about the sense of community. The sun numbers look better than Vancouver and I’m definitely not a snowphobe!
Cheers!
I moved to the Okanagan from Southern ON 3 years ago – hoping for warmer weather, less snow etc. I’m feeling my way through post stroke muscle tension and was needing a healing place. The Winters so far here, though warmer, less or no snow, but the 10 months of low cloud, no sunshine have exasperated my health and healing. By a lifetime of anecdotes I was lead to believe the Okanagan was Canada’s best weather – sunny, warm (hot), and dry – it is NOT for a great part of the year. It is challenging to find real data on these weather realities in Canada – I appreciate this info greatly.
yep it’s all a big scam hahah. I’m from Toronto and I could Make the argument that tdot has better weather than vancouver. I lived in van from 2019 and I’m getting out now. I’m tired of the grey and rain. I don’t want to return to Toronto so I’m going to give calgary a shot ! I prefer snow to rain for sure. I can’t do those winters any more
I too moved to the Okanagan. To Vernon in fact. I have lived there only for 3 years. Summer, as of July, is very hot and most sunny till mid October. Then fall/winter slips in with the dreaded low cloud/fog. It’s very challenging. I can get sunshine if I drive up to Silver Star, otherwise it’s pretty grey. May and June can go either way.
Good luck to you.
Medicine Hat :
This smaller prairie city has more sunshine hours than any of its counter parts .
Give the place the nod .
It’s far from the mountains and that speaks for itself .
Here on the east coast we’re surprised when people call Toronto eastern Canada. There is a lot of land and population east of Toronto.
“Prairie Canada
Stretching across the centre of Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba enjoy more sunshine all year round than Canada’s other provinces.”
I was born and raised in Manitoba and I get annoyed when people complain about our lack of sunshine. I wish more people knew about the statement above!
Most people think that
central Canada= more snow = less sun.
I am here, on this website, to learn more about that. I live in metro Vancouver, where it is so bleak most of the year, except for about 2 summer months. Yes we get the least snow, and temperature is around 8 many winter days, even in December and January, but with no sun for many straight days, I feel depressed, so depressed sometimes that I am thinking of moving to another province.
RE: “British Columbia has rather dull (and wet) winters, compensated for by sunny summers.”
That refers only to the narrow strip of BC along the Pacific Ocean. The vast majority of BC has lots of snow and an average amount of sunshine throughout the winter.
No that is incorrect. I grew up in Penticton. Surrounded by the ,mountains the clouds get trapped and stay for the winter it seems. No sunshine for months -lucky to see the sun once a month from Oct to May. At 18 I moved to Alberta, now I am happy always as most days the sunlight not just light, shines at least part of the day. And there was so little snow you could NOT go tobogganing even. Cheers all!
Go Winnipeg! I’ve lived in many other places and none are as sunny and happy as winnipeg!
Calgary has more sun than any other large city in Canada
Not more than Winnipeg !
I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and I would like to know it it’s possible to have 5 to 6 hours of sun in the winter for growing plants in a south side large picture window measuring 9 feet wide by 5 feet high?
THANK-YOU. LOUISA