▁and ▁again ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁average , ▁snow ▁falls ▁on ▁nine ▁days ▁per ▁year , ▁with ▁three ▁days ▁receiving ▁ ▁or ▁more . ▁A verage ▁year ly ▁snow fall ▁is ▁ ▁but ▁typically ▁does ▁not ▁remain ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁for ▁long . ▁ ▁Winter s ▁in ▁Gre ater ▁V ancouver ▁are ▁the ▁fourth - m ild est ▁of ▁Canadian ▁cities ▁after ▁nearby ▁Victoria , ▁N ana imo ▁and ▁Dun can , ▁all ▁on ▁V ancouver ▁Island . ▁V ancouver ' s ▁growing ▁season ▁aver ages ▁ 2 3 7 ▁days , ▁from ▁March ▁ 1 8 ▁until ▁November ▁ 1 0 . ▁V ancouver ' s ▁ 1 9 8 1 – 2 0 1 0 ▁US DA ▁Plant ▁Hard iness ▁Zone ▁ranges ▁from ▁ 8 A ▁to ▁ 9 A ▁depending ▁on ▁elev ation ▁and ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁water . ▁ ▁City s cape ▁ ▁Urban ▁planning ▁ ▁, ▁V ancouver ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁dens ely ▁populated ▁city ▁in ▁Canada . ▁Urban ▁planning ▁in ▁V ancouver ▁is ▁character ized ▁by ▁high - r ise ▁resident ial ▁and ▁mixed - use ▁development ▁in ▁urban ▁cent res , ▁as ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁spraw l . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁larger ▁Metro ▁V ancouver ▁region , ▁it ▁is ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁policy ▁direction ▁of ▁liv ability ▁as ▁illustrated ▁in ▁Metro ▁V ancouver ' s ▁Regional ▁G row th ▁Str ategy . ▁ ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁been ▁ranked ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁liv able ▁cities