Living in the Sunniest City in Canada: Soak Up the Calgary Sun

Calgary, Alberta, is the largest city in its province and the third-largest in Canada. It also has the distinction of being the sunniest of the country's major cities. Measured in either number of hours or days, Calgary easily tops the list with 2,396 hours of sunshine over a staggering 333 days—a little over 91% of the year on average.

Even when analyzed based on the amount of sunlight per daylight hours, Calgary tops the list with 52%; it's no wonder the prospect of moving to Calgary is so appealing. The city is located in the Canadian Prairies, which, as a whole, experiences the sunniest days in the nation. If you're looking to buy a townhome for sale in Calgary, get your sunscreen ready!

Sunshine in Calgary Year-Round

Although Calgary is widely known as one of Canada's sunniest cities, the amount of sunlight varies throughout the year. If you were to look at a graph of the city's average daily sunshine for a year, you'd see lower periods of sun in the winter months of December and January.

Calgarians can expect between three and four hours of sunlight each day during these colder months when the days are significantly shorter. In stark contrast, the average length of sunny hours during the spring and summer increases steadily, topping out at over 10 hours a day in July. As the days cool down, the amount of daily sunlight gradually decreases.

Other major Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax experience similar increases and decreases from winter to summer and back. Still, none of these cities see quite as much sunshine as Calgary.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, is one city that does see a comparable amount of sunlight as Calgary. Although Winnipeg averages over 10 hours of sunlight in July, Calgary still usually has more hours of sun consistently throughout the year. Both cities are located within a region known as the Canadian Prairies, or simply the Prairies, which includes the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Known for their expansive prairies, grasslands, and lowlands, these provinces are the sunniest in Canada overall. These wide-open spaces provide a scenic setting and plenty of room for homes with acreage for sale in Calgary.

Reasons to Live in a Sunny City

Several benefits come along with living in places that get a lot of sun exposure, and Calgary is no exception. Imagine living in a Bow River waterfront home or a mountaintop condo and being greeted with picturesque views blessed by an abundance of sunlight most days of the year.

Warm, sunny days often inspire the same good feelings associated with a day spent at the beach or a summertime vacation. Sunlight and sunshine also offer other advantages to locals, including health and wellness benefits and the ability to enjoy outdoor activities for most of the year.

Health Advantages of Living in a Sunny City

Sunshine is phenomenal for the body in several ways. Consider these potential health benefits that come from simply living in sunny Calgary:

Vitamin D

The body uses sunshine absorbed by the skin to generate Vitamin D. Your body needs this vitamin to absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for healthy teeth and bones. Vitamin D also supports your muscular, nervous, and immune systems.

Immune Defense

Regarding your immune system, sunshine can stimulate T-cells in your skin, which fight microbes and other harmful substances that can cause sickness.

Eyes and Skin

While UV rays can harm your eyes and skin, moderate exposure can be good for you (for all the reasons listed here!). Studies show both the benefits and risks of UV rays, including protection against nearsightedness and improvement of certain skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema.

Sleep Quality

Sunlight acts as a natural clock for the body to get enough sleep. Natural light helps develop healthy and consistent sleep patterns.

Mental health and stress management

Sunny climates encourage outdoor recreation and social activities that directly support mental health. As your eyes absorb more sunshine, your brain makes more serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential for regulating your mood and avoiding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Sunny Cities Have Better Potential for Solar Energy

Another significant advantage to living in a sunny place is related to solar energy. Radiant heat and sunlight can be harnessed to generate electricity and thermal heating in environmentally-friendly ways. This is solar energy, an important renewable energy source. Thanks to its location in the Canadian Prairies, there's more sunlight available to heat and cool Calgary's new-construction homes for sale, including several advanced solar power generation technologies.

Because of their abundant sunlight, the Canadian Prairies are some of the best locations in the country for producing solar energy—especially within the southern and western parts of those provinces.

Cities and municipalities in Saskatchewan are among the highest in photovoltaic (PV) potential, averaging over 7-kilowatt hours per square meter. Calgary is also up there, with a PV potential of 6.7-kilowatt hours per square meter, topping the list of cities in its province.

For perspective, a 1-kilowatt solar system in this city would produce approximately 1,292-kilowatt hours in a year. The highest outputs would occur between June and August. If you value eco-friendly energy sources for your residence or community, Calgary is one of the best places in Canada to call home.

Outdoor Fun Is Always in Season

Because locals can reliably expect sunny days for over 90% of the year, Calgary offers various outdoor activities in all four seasons. And you don't need to reside in one of Calgary's lakeside neighbourhoods to make the most of the sun.

During the spring, try these outdoor activities:

• Fly fishing on the Bow River: Several local outfitters offer half-day (3–5 hours) or full-day (6–10 hours) tours that include snacks and beverages, and you don't necessarily need prior experience.
• Tour Spirit Hills Winery: Wine tastings and a behind-the-scenes look at how wine is made.

Summer in Calgary is a great time to explore the city and its beautiful surroundings:

• Fish Creek Park: The second-largest park in Canada offers fun for the whole family, including playgrounds, tennis courts, soccer fields, and cricket pitches.
• See Calgary on foot with an urban hike at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary or a wilder adventure at Upper Kananaskis Lake.

When the leaves change colour in the fall, embrace the festive, transitional season:

• Rent an e-bike and explore Calgary on two wheels.
• Go pumpkin-hunting and enjoy autumn traditions like cider and hay rides with your family at the Calgary Farmyard.

When the snow starts to fall, and you've already visited Calgary's neighbourhoods with outdoor skating rinks, there's still plenty to enjoy:

• Go downhill tubing at the WinSport Tube Park, one of Canada's largest such parks.
• Snowy Owl Dog Tours: Explore the Rockies by dogsledding.

Walk on Sunshine

With sunshine in abundant supply, Calgary has so much to offer current and future residents. Of all of Canada's major cities, Calgary has the most hours and days of sunlight by far, making it one of the best places to enjoy outdoor activities throughout the year. Hiking, biking, fishing, tubing, snowshoeing, and dogsledding are just some of Calgary's outdoor activities that make the most of the city's sunshine. Boost your health and wellness, and explore what's possible with the sun as an energy source in Canada's third-largest city.