Canada is one of the coldest countries in the world, known for its snow-covered and beautiful landscapes. From the bone-chilling cold winds of the northern territories of Canada to the icy cold blowing over the prairies, the winters of Canada are a test of resilience and endurance. Despite this cold climate, many people from all over the world visit Canada every year. Further, due to the increase in global warming, people are moving towards Canada due to the cold weather there. This blog will cover the top 11 coldest cities in Canada along with the low temperatures ever recorded in these cities.

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List of Top 11 Coldest Cities in Canada

The following are the top 11 coldest cities in Canada;

• Yellowknife
• Winnipeg
• Regina
• Whitehorse, Yukon
• Edmonton
• Saguenay, Quebec
• Thunder Bay, Ontario
• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• Sudbury, Ontario
• Québec City, Québec
• Sherbrooke

1) Yellowknife

Yellowknife is the only city, the largest settlement, and the capital city in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It is situated on the northern coast of Great Slave Lake, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of the Arctic Circle, on the west coast of Yellowknife Bay, at the outlet of the Yellowknife River. Yellowknife experiences some of the hardest winters among the largest cities in Canada.  It has an extended blanket of snow period and the coldest wind chill. Yellowknife has mild to warm summers and bitterly cold winters. In January, the average temperature is about -26 °C (-15 °F), whereas in July, it is 17 °C (63 °F). The lowest recorded temperature of Yellowknife was -51.2 °C (-60.2 °F) on January 31, 1947. 

2) Winnipeg

Winnipeg is known for its miserable winters where the wind temperature is so low that one can almost feel his or her face freeze as one steps outside. The lowest recorded temperature in Winnipeg was -45 °C, and the average low in January was -23.6 °C. With this cold temperature, Winnipeg made it one of the coldest cities in Canada. It is located at the bottom of the Red River Valley, which renders it susceptible to strong and fast winds. The weather in Winnipeg is also generally dry, hence, many people believe they require humidifiers in their houses.

3) Regina

Regina has many outdoor spaces for winter sports like toboggan, cross-country skiing, and skating. Regina is 258 kilometers south of Saskatoon. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Regina was -50 °C, and the average low in January, the coldest month, is -20.1 °C. Prairie regions have some harsh winters. Unlike other planned towns west of Canada, Regina’s treeless flat plain has few terrain characteristics other than the small spring run-off. Furthermore, the temperature in Regina dropped to a shocking -50 °C on January 1, 1885. On average, 43 days have temperatures of -30 °C or colder. 

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4) Whitehorse, Yukon

Whitehorse is the largest city in Northern Canada and the Yukon’s capital. In summer, the days are 19 hours long and have a mild temperature compared to Yellowknife. However, there is another story in the winter. It is located near the Pacific Ocean and experiences one of Canada’s coldest winters. Whitehorse has the lowest recorded temperature of -56.1 °C, with an average low of -19.2 °C in January, the coldest month. According to Guinness World Records, Whitehorse is regarded as the least air-polluted city in the world.

5) Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta, a Canadian province. Edmonton lies in the northeastern Appalachian Mountains on the border of the United States and near the border with Quebec. The location results in a lower temperature in Edmonton. The lowest temperature recorded ever in Edmonton was -43.6 °C, and January, the coldest month of the year, has an average low of -18.5 °C. Edmonton is particularly renowned for its dry plains environment, which includes ice, snow, and severe winds. In addition, the city experiences an average of 339 centimeters of snow every year. Over four months of the year, or 133 days on average, Edmonton gets snow. 

6) Saguenay, Quebec

The city of Saguenay is situated on the Saguenay River in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada. It is about 200 kilometers north of Quebec City through an overland route. Saguenay is located barely 211 kilometers north of Quebec City and gets an average winter temperature of -18.3 °C. It witnessed an average of 321.7 cm of snow per winter.  That is the second-largest Canadian city with snowfall following St. John’s, Newfoundland. A famous winter activity in Saguenay is dog sledding, which enables you to zip through the snowy mountains with your team of dogs as you keep an eye out for elk and other wildlife. People refer to it as a part of the Nordic way of life.

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7) Thunder Bay, Ontario

Thunder Bay is located about 1,000 kilometers northwest of Sudbury and has an urban population of 121,621. The average low temperature during the winter is -18.1 °C. Thunder Bay has the record for Ontario’s coldest day on January 10, 1982. Due to the wind chills, the temperature fell to -58 °C. According to a CBC article, Thunder Bay witnessed its coldest winter in 35 years during the winters of 2013-14. The same article mentioned that there were 61 days recorded with a low of -20 °C. One of those freezing days broke Thunder Bay’s December low-temperature record, hitting -40 °C.

8) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan, a Canadian province It lies in the center of the province, near an intersection in the South Saskatchewan River. It is situated along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway and has been known as central Saskatchewan’s economic and cultural center since 1882. However, it is one of the coldest cities in Canada. The average low temperature of Saskatoon in the winter is -16.5 °C. There is snow cover for 124 days a year. People of Saskatchewan commonly enjoy skating, strolling, or cross-country skiing on several snowy trails. In 1893, Saskatoon recorded its lowest observed temperature of -50 °C. 

9) Sudbury, Ontario

Sudbury, officially known as the City of Greater Sudbury, is the most populated city in Northern Ontario. In the winter, Sudbury has low temperatures i-e; -15.5 °C, and gets 263.4 cm of snowfall yearly. Sudbury lies north of the Great Lakes, frequently hit by arctic atmospheric masses, which can result in extremely harsh cold outbreaks. The average calendar year in Sudbury includes 136 days with snow on the ground. 

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10) Québec City, Québec

Québec is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec.  The city is a metropolitan city. It is the twelfth-largest city and the seventh-largest urban area in Canada. It is also the second-largest city in the province, after Montreal. It has warm summers and extremely cold and snowy winters due to its humid continental climate. The average low temperature recorded in Quebec City during the winter is -15.4 °C. Quebec City has witnessed the highest snowfall average at 303.4 cm. Even though Quebec City is extremely snowy and cold, it has a lot of fun and sports activities that attract people’s attention and make winter bearable for them, such as the classic Quebec Winter Carnival, where visitors participate in festivities from all over the world.

11) Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke is located in southern Quebec, 156 kilometers east of Montreal. It has an average temperature of -15.4 °C. Sherbrooke endures long, snow-filled winters resulting from its humid continental climate. Sherbrooke experiences an average of 286.5 centimeters of snow every year. With the snowy landscape and habitat, locals and tourists can enjoy a range of outdoor sports such as skating, snowshoeing, skiing, and snowmobiling. Furthermore, the Sherbrooke region encompasses rivers, lakes, and mountains.  Numerous slopes for skiing are in the area, as well as a range of traditionally themed tourist attractions.  Skiing downhill is carried out in the city’s Mont-Bellevue Park, an immense park.

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Conclusion 

In conclusion, Canada experiences an extreme climate. The coldest cities in Canada offer the lowest temperatures in the world. The harsh winter conditions in the north such as in Whitehorse and Yellowknife to the notorious cold in Edmonton and Winnipeg, all these cities have the long and dark months of winter with freezing winds and the icy-cold climate. Yet, even in these hard winters, people embrace the culture and the natural landscape of Canada. Every year millions of people visit Canada and prefer to settle in Canada for its cold weather. 

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