By Canadian standards it probably qualifies (200,000 inhabitants), though it is of course dwarfed by Detroit (1m downtown, 5m metro area) which is spitting distance away...

Windsor is #20 on the list :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._by_population

Calgary rains a lot lot less than Manchester. This is a disctinct advantage. But it does have its downsides, like the lack of lush greenery.

I love living in Calgary- however we are skiers and like the outdoors- even when cold. I don't totally understand why so many people who hate the cold and have no interest in cold weather activities come to Calgary. (I am not putting you in this category at all as I have no idea what you do for fun, but I do meet lots of Brits here who can't see any advantage to the cold weather and I imagine the winter must drag for them). For people who see no advantage to the cold weather, eg snowsports, ice sports etc I really don't see the point. Why move somewhere that has a long cold winter if you hate the cold?

BC can be a lot warmer- but then it can be a lot wetter!!!


I should say , as other people have done, that the cold doesn't feel quite the same as the damp dark cold of the UK. It often has sunny days here in winter, more than not, which I really like.

Lots of people I know seem to hop south for short stretches of winter. Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, California are popular destinations form Calgary.

Gryph