Miscellaneous Information

Altitude: Sea level
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time
Population: 514,000
Metro Area Population: 1.9 million
Telephone Area Code: 604 and 778
Language: English and French are Canada’s two official languages. 
English is the predominant language in British Columbia.  Many banks, hotels, airline offices, shops, and key visitor attractions have multilingual staff.
Climate: Vancouver has one of the mildest climates in Canada. 
Winters are wet but temperatures seldom fall below freezing and snow is rare.  Summer is sunny and warm, almost never too hot and seldom humid.  Late autumn can be chilly with occasional rain and fog.

Temperatures

Month	Average Daily High		Average Daily Low		Bright Sun
	°Celsius	°Fahrenheit	°Celcius	°Fahrenheit	%
January	6	42	1	34	21
February	7	45	1	34	31
March	9	49	3	38	33
April	13	56	5	42	47
May	16	63	8	48	53
June	19	68	11	54	47
July	21	72	12	56	63
August	21	72	12	56	56
September	17	65	10	52	50
October	13	56	9	50	34
November	9	49	4	40	26
December	7	48	2	36	17

Holidays

Statutory Holidays	2008	2009	2010
New Year's Day	January 1	January 1	January 1
Good Friday	March 21	April 10	April 2
Easter Sunday	March 23	April 12	April 4
Victoria Day	May 19	May 18	May  24
Canada Day	July 1	July 1	July 1
Civic Holiday	August 4	August 3	August 2
Labour Day	September 1	September 7	September 6
Thanksgiving Day	October 13	October 12	October 11
Remembrance Day	November 11	November 11	November 11
Christmas Day	December 25	December 25	December 25
Boxing Day	December 26	December 26	December 26

Currency

Bank debit or credit cards are the most convenient means of getting cash at the many 24-hour-access automated banking machines.   All our taxis accept credit cards and 60% of our taxis are hybid cars.   
As in the U.S. and Europe these machines accept cards with Plus, Interac and Cirrus symbols and there is one on almost every block in downtown Vancouver.  Many Canadian businesses accept U.S. currency and travellers cheques.  
International currency exchanges are available at the airport and at all the banks in the city. 
Major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express), are generally accepted by Canadian businesses. The U.S. dollar is currently valued at. 98 Canadian and many cabs and restaurants will accept US cash on par.  
Exchange rates vary daily.

Passports, Visas, Medical Insurance

Requirements for American Citizens entering Canada: U.S. citizens and permanent residents require a birth certificate, a resident alien card or a green card together with picture I.D. or passport to enter Canada. A driver's license is NOT accepted as proof of citizenship.
Requirements for American Citizens re-entering the USA:  Currently, Canadian and American citizens only need a birth certificate and a piece of photo ID (such as a driver's license) to cross back into the USA. However, a new U.S. law has been introduced requiring passports for entering the U.S. via air effective January 23, 2007, and via land and sea borders as of January 01, 2008. Travelers are advised to stay informed of U.S. passport regulations.

Requirements for International Visitors entering Canada: Persons visiting from countries other than the United States must have a valid passport and may require other documentation such as visas.  Check with the nearest Canadian Consulate well in advance of travel.  
For more information, please see www.cic.gc.ca.

Are you a single parent traveling with a child under 18 years of age to Canada?

Foreign officials and transportation companies are vigilant concerning documentation for children crossing international borders. Generally, any individual younger than 18 years of age could be considered a child. Unless a child is accompanied by both legal parents, the following documentation should be carried by the child or the accompanying adult:

• a valid passport or proof of citizenship for the child.
• a legal document proving that the child has the permission of the lawful parent (s) or guardian(s) to travel and includes contact phone information for the parent(s) or guardian(s)