Vancouver

Vancouver (pronounced {{IPA|}}) is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia. It is the largest metropolitan centre in western Canada and third largest in the country. The city's population is 545,671 and that of the metropolitan area is 1,986,965 (2001 census). http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CMA-C.cfm?T=1&SR=1&CMA=933&S=3&O=D Vancouver is one of the cities of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and of the larger geographic region commonly known as the Lower Mainland of BC. The current mayor is Larry Campbell, Coalition of Progressive Electors (see List of Mayors of Vancouver). Vancouver will be the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics, 2005 Grey Cup, the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship, the 2006 United Nations World Urban Forum and the 2007 Memorial Cup.

Climate

Vancouver's climate is unusually temperate by Canadian standards; it is the warmest major city in Canada during the winter, which explains why it is ranked as the most desirable climate in Canada. Summer months are generally sunny and dry, temperatures moderate, with the daily maximum averaging 22°C in July and August. Spring and autumn are usually showery and cool. Rainfall is frequent in winter. Snow occurs in the surrounding mountains but less often at sea level, though there are winters in which the city receives enough snowfall to cause school closures. The daily average temperature in January is 6°C but it is not uncommon to see it climb as high as 15°C or dip as low as -10°C. Such "cold spells" usually occur every year or two. Blizzards are rare but can incapacitate much of the Lower Mainland. One in 1996 resulted in over 60 cm of snow in Vancouver. The system was responsible for millions dollars of damage.

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Although Vancouver is popularly known as the rainy city, only 166 days per year have measurable precipitation on average, and 289 days per year have measurable sunshine. In fact, every major city from Quebec City eastward to St. John's gets more annual precipitation than Vancouver. For a few nights near the summer solstice each June, the northern sky remains slightly lit by the sun, and nighttime lasts only about 6 hours.

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A wide range of plant species including many exotics can be found growing in Vancouver thanks to the mild climate. The increasingly popular Chinese Windmill Palm which can grow as high as 40 feet is a common sight in many areas, especially in the city's West End and beach neighbourhoods.

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