Weather: 5°C, Wind NE at 5 km/h, 95% Humidity.

Vancouver is one of Canada’s warmest cities in the winter. Vancouver’s climate is temperate by Canadian standards and is classified as oceanic or marine west coast.

Vancouver has a reputation for rain, it actually ranks as the 9th rainiest location in Canada with Prince Rupert, Port Alberni, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Campbell River, Halifax, Sydney, and St. John’s beating Vancouver for average yearly rainfall. Vancouver is also one of the wettest Canadian cities. However, precipitation varies throughout the metropolitan area.Vancouver’s wettest months are November and December with an average precipitation of 182mm. And – with an average of just 41mm of precipitation – July and August are the driest months in Vancouver.

Vancouver also ranks 34th for the least sunshine year round and 26th for the fewest sunny days.

Vancouver was one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada, Vancouver is classed as a Beta global city. Vancouver values that diversity as a source of creativity and strength. Cultural diversity attracts visitors and investment, which helps the economy.

The 2011 census recorded more than 603,000 people in the city, making it the eighth-largestamong Canadian cities. More specifically, Vancouver is the fourth-largest in Western Canada.

The City of Vancouver is the most densely populated of Canadian municipalities having more than 5,000 residents. Approximately 74 percent of the people living in Metro Vancouver live outside the city.

Vancouver has been called a “city of neighborhood’s”, each with a distinct character and ethnic mix. Immigration has drastically increased, making the city more ethnically and linguistically diverse.

Vancouver is systematically rated as one of the top cities in the world to live. The combination of economic opportunity and the beautiful, natural environment draws people from around the world. These newcomers contribute to Vancouver’s diversity and livability.

Vancouver is ethnically and linguistically diverse city; 52% do not speak English as their first language.Vancouver has been ranked one of the most livable cities in the world for more than a decade. As of 2010, Vancouver has been ranked as having the fourth-highest quality of living of any city on Earth. In contrast,Forbes has also ranked Vancouver as the tenth-cleanest city in the world.Vancouver is a city unlike any other, providing a wealth of unique advantages for both its residents and its businesses, consistently ranked one of the most livable cities in the world.

Vancouver is the most densely populated city in Canada.Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use development in urban centres, as an alternative to Sprawl.  Vancouver has always been a place of ideas –a hub will entrepreneurs, innovation and creativity intersect.

The city’s people are friendly and polite, but a number of newcomers have found that Vancouverites are rather reserved and difficult to become good friends with.

Comparisons are often made between Vancouver and Toronto. In general, Vancouver comes across as less hectic than Toronto, with a more relaxed feel.Commercially it also has a more white-collar, service-oriented, less industrial feel than Toronto.

Vancouver as a commercial hub inBritish Columbia, has one of Canada’s most well-situated economic system. The city is one of Canada’s largest industrial centers and has a highly diversified economy.

Vancouver is one of the nation’s largest industrial centers. Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest and most diversified port, does more than C$172 billion in trade with over 160 different trading economies annually. Port activities generate $9.7 billion in gross domestic product and $20.3 billion in economic output.

Vancouver is also the headquarters of forest product and mining companies. In recent years, Vancouver has become a centre for software development, biotechnology, aerospace, video game development, animation studios and television production.

A vibrant,growing, film industry has developed in Vancouver – or “Hollywood North” as it is sometimes described – which produces the second largest number of television shows of any location in North America.

QLT Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company, is based in Vancouver, employing 350 people in research and technology.

MDA (MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates) employs over 1,000 people in Richmond, working in satellite and information systems technology.

Ballard Power Systems, which develops fuel-cell technology, has about 700 employees in Burnaby.

Foreign technology companies in Vancouver include Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Kodak, Microsoft and Nokia.

The city’s strong focus on lifestyle and health culture also makes it a hub for many lifestyle-brands with Lululemon, Kit and Ace, Herschel Supply Co., Reigning Champ, and Nature’s Path Foods all founded and headquartered in Vancouver.

Vancouver’s scenic location makes it a major tourist destination.

HSBC Canada has its headquarters in Vancouver, as do a number of mining and forestry companies.Vancouver, however, has fewer large company head offices than Calgary or Toronto.

Both Vancouver and British Columbia have been hit by the global recession. Despite growing numbers of jobless, British Columbia’s unemployment rates tend to be consistently lower than the Canadian average.Vancouver’s economy is projected to grow by 3% each year from 2016 – 2018.

There are five public universities in the Greater Vancouver area, the majorand largest being the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University (SFU). Newsweek ranked UBC 2nd out of Canada’s universities (behindUniversity of Toronto) and 31st in the world. SFUis ranked 10th in Canada and is among the 200 best universities in the world.

The other public universities in the metropolitan area around Vancouver are Capilano University in North Vancouver, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology in Burnaby provides polytechnic education.

Government funded elementary schools and high schools generally offer students a high quality education.

Unless you opt for private education, the school(s) your children attend will be determined by where you live.

Magee High School

Magee High School, Vancouver: Arnold C

It makes sense, therefore, to avoid some inner-city schools and schools in poorer areas where issues associated with poverty make it harder for children to perform to their full ability.

The publicly funded high schools with the best academic performance in Vancouver and its surrounds were:

• ›› University Hill, Vancouver
• ›› Lord Byng, Vancouver
• ›› Sentinel, West Vancouver
• ›› Rockridge, West Vancouver
• ›› Prince of Wales, Vancouver
• ›› Langley Fine Arts, Fort Langley

These schools outperformed many fee paying schools.

There is also a wide variety of independent (fee paying) schools available. The following independent schools were Vancouver’s absolute top academic performers:

• ›› York House, Vancouver
• ›› Crofton House, Vancouver
• ›› Little Flower, Vancouver
• ›› St George’s, Vancouver
• ›› Collingwood, West Vancouver
• ›› Southridge, Surrey
• ›› West Point Grey, Vancouver
• ›› St John’s, Vancouver
• ›› Vanouver College, Vancouver