Canada’s coolest cold-weather cities

Nobody does winter quite like folks in the Great White North — and frankly, we’re darn proud of it. On a recent trip to Montreal, I met a group of Australians on a ghost walk who told me they regularly come to Canada in our fall and winter months to escape the scorching summer heat back home. That’s right: we’re someone’s anti-summer destination.

It was a good reminder that, while Canadians love to complain about the cold, necessity has made us masters at making winter fun.

After more than five decades of living through subzero seasons, I’ve learned that winter isn’t something you simply endure — it’s something you eventually embrace. The snow piles up, the temperatures drop and Canadians do what we always do: throw on a parka, step outside and get on with it. After all, there’s no such thing as bad weather here — only bad clothing choices.

Skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, winter camping, ice fishing — if it happens outside, we’re doing it, usually with a hot drink in hand and a sense of pride that borders on stubborn.

And the festivals alone are reason to visit: neon-lit night markets, historic carnivals, snow sculptures and entire neighbourhoods transforming into winter wonderlands.

So if you’re looking for the coolest — and coldest — places to explore, here are a half-dozen Canadian cities that absolutely own winter:

Winnipeg

Perhaps no Canadian city’s DNA is more tied to winter than this prairie burg — affectionately (and accurately) nicknamed Winterpeg. Often cited as the coldest major city in North America, it regularly has January nights that dip below –21C, yet Winnipeggers don’t just survive winter — they celebrate it. The city’s Nestaweya River Trail once held the Guinness World Record for being the world’s longest naturally frozen skating trail at 8.54km. It still runs along the Red and Assiniboine rivers when conditions allow, complete with quirky, architect-designed warming huts that have become a winter icon.

It’s also home to the beloved Festival du Voyageur, a lively 10-day celebration each February of French-Canadian and Metis culture.

And when you need to warm up, head to the world-class Canadian Museum for Human Rights or The Leaf, a spectacular indoor horticultural attraction that features four plant biomes, a butterfly garden and Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls isn’t on most people’s radar as a winter destination but it absolutely should be. I visited recently during a December polar vortex, when southern Ontario was deep in the freezer, and honestly, it was exactly what I was hoping for.

In the cold, the falls turn surreal. The spray from Horseshoe Falls freezes everything it touches — branches, railings, entire chunks of shoreline — encasing the landscape in a glittering shell of ice.

Beyond the falls themselves, the annual Winter Festival of Lights transforms the Niagara Parkway with colourful displays and Journey Behind the Falls becomes a misty, luminous experience. For warm indoor breaks, the Butterfly Conservatory offers a tropical escape filled with thousands of free-flying butterflies, while the historic Niagara Power Station delivers an immersive look at the region’s hydroelectric history through dramatic storytelling and interactive exhibits. The Poinsettia Show at the Floral Showhouse adds another festive touch with vibrant seasonal blooms. And the newest attraction, Niagara Takes Flight, offers a soaring multi-sensory flying-theatre experience over Canada’s landscapes — a perfect contrast to the icy viewpoints outside.

Another bonus? No crowds. At most, I saw 10–20 people lining the edge of the falls and not a single line-up for any attraction.

Montreal

Canada’s second-largest city wears winter like a badge of honour. A sprawling underground network keeps you moving on the coldest days but above ground, Montreal doesn’t miss a beat. Cobblestone lanes, historic squares and cafes feel straight out of Europe, especially in Old Montreal, where a dusting of snow adds an extra layer of charm. With a steady rotation of winter festivals, the city feels alive even in the coldest months.

The biggest is Montreal en Lumiere, a three-week celebration of food, art and light featuring illuminated installations, outdoor stages, visiting chefs and special menus across the city. It’s capped by Nuit Blanche, an all-night event where museums, galleries and public spaces stay open late and Montrealers roam the snowy streets until dawn.

For something a little wilder, there’s Igloofest, a massive outdoor electronic music party where people happily dance in –20C wearing neon snowsuits. And no winter visit is complete without a heaping smoked meat sandwich from Schwartz’s or catching the legendary Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Quebec City

IIn winter, Quebec City — the capital of the province of Quebec — transforms into one of North America’s most atmospheric destinations: a UNESCO-listed old town draped in snow, where French-Canadian culture, cosy bistros and festive traditions make the cold feel like part of the experience. As one of the oldest European settlements in North America, founded in 1608, it carries serious old-world charm, with stone walls and beautiful historic buildings, including the Chateau Frontenac rising over the frozen St. Lawrence River.

February brings Carnaval de Quebec, one of the biggest winter parties on the planet, complete with a giant ice palace, snow sculptures, ice skating, canoe races, night parades and mountains of comfort food. And no winter visit is complete without the classic toboggan run on Dufferin Terrace. Built in 1884, it sends riders flying downhill at up to 70km/h, with sweeping views of the river and skyline — and it only costs a few dollars.

Ottawa

Canada’s capital does winter properly, celebrating the season with festivals, outdoor activities and a cityscape that looks especially beautiful when dusted in snow. Parliament Hill — with its neo-Gothic towers overlooking the Ottawa River — looks particularly striking in winter, with the Centennial Flame, a gas-lit fountain first ignited in 1967 to mark Canada’s 100th birthday, burning against the snow. the Rideau Canal and the city’s historic stone buildings take on the same postcard charm when the mercury drops.

One of Ottawa’s signature experiences is the Rideau Canal Skateway, a 7.8km skating route winding through the heart of the city — part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and commonly recognised as the world’s largest naturally frozen ice rink each winter. Gliding past bridges and old neighbourhoods is an unbeatable way to experience Ottawa, and warming up with a fresh beavertail (fried pastry) from the original stand on George Street is practically a rite of passage.

Winter also means Winterlude, Ottawa’s big cold-weather bash. Spread across downtown and Gatineau, it brings ice sculptures, live music, glowing installations and the lively Snowflake Kingdom — essentially a giant snow playground complete with towering slides and tubing runs.

Meanwhile, museums like the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian Museum of Nature offer warm cultural escapes between outdoor adventures.

Ottawa blends architecture, history and classic Canadian winter spirit in a way few cities can match.

Calgary

Calgary has two major things going for it in winter — and I’ve come to appreciate both. It’s a genuinely good cold-weather city in its own right, and it also happens to be the gateway to Canada’s top winter playground. Less than an hour from the Rocky Mountains, with Canmore and Banff National Park just down the road, Calgary works beautifully as a winter basecamp.

What often surprises people is how bright winter feels here. Calgary is ranked the sunniest city in the country, averaging 333 sunny days and 2396 hours of sunshine per year, with more than 52 per cent of its daylight hours bathed in sun. Add in the occasional chinook wind rolling off the mountains — capable of pushing temperatures well above freezing overnight — and winter suddenly feels far more approachable. On a clear winter day, I can’t think of a more striking view in Canada than the snow-capped Rockies stretching across the western horizon.

Those blue-sky days make it easy to get outside, whether that’s tubing at Canada’s Olympic Park or walking the Bow River pathways. And when you want bigger scenery, it’s an easy drive west to frozen lakes, snowshoe trails, ski hills and warm cafes in Canmore or Banff.