Laurentian Mountains topographic map

Ontario's topography is a diverse tapestry shaped by its vast expanse and geological history. The Canadian Shield dominates the northern and central regions, characterized by ancient Precambrian rock formations, rugged terrain, and numerous lakes and rivers. In contrast, the Hudson Bay Lowlands in the far…

Average elevation: 804 ft

Despite its deep ravines, Toronto is not remarkably hilly, but its elevation does increase steadily away from the lake. Elevation differences range from 76.5 metres (251 ft) above sea level at the Lake Ontario shore to 209 m (686 ft) ASL near the York University grounds in the city's north end at the…

Average elevation: 371 ft

Vancouver, British Columbia, is situated on the Burrard Peninsula, bordered by Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south. The city's topography is a blend of flat and hilly terrains, with elevations ranging from sea level to approximately 152 meters (500 feet) above sea level. The North…

Average elevation: 112 ft

British Columbia's topography is a testament to its diverse and dramatic landscapes. Dominated by the Cordillera region, the province features prominent mountain ranges such as the Coast Mountains in the west and the Rocky Mountains in the east. The Coast Mountains, composed of granite rocks from the…

Average elevation: 2,323 ft

Calgary, Alberta, is uniquely positioned in the transition zone between the rolling Canadian Prairies to the east and the rugged foothills of the Canadian Rockies to the west, creating a landscape of undulating hills, plateau-like uplands, and deep river valleys. The Bow and Elbow Rivers carve prominent bluffs…

Average elevation: 3,629 ft

Nova Scotia's topography is a diverse blend of rugged highlands, rolling hills, and fertile lowlands. The province's landscape is shaped by several upland regions, including the Southern Upland, North Mountain, and Cobequid Mountain, which are interspersed with extensive lowlands. The Southern Upland rises…

Average elevation: 135 ft

Average elevation: 2,644 ft

Quebec's topography is characterized by three main physiographic regions: the Canadian Shield, the St. Lawrence Lowlands, and the Appalachian Mountains. The Canadian Shield, covering about 90% of the province, features rugged terrain with rocky plateaus, rolling hills, and numerous rivers and lakes formed by…

Average elevation: 640 ft

The coastline is heavily indented, accounting for its length of approximately 400 km (250 mi), with the northern boundary of the municipality usually being between 50–60 km (31–37 mi) inland. The coast is mostly rock with small isolated sand beaches in sheltered bays. The largest coastal features include…

Average elevation: 151 ft

Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River at the confluence with the Rideau River. The city's topography is characterized by gently rolling terrain with elevations ranging from approximately 44 meters (144 feet) above sea level at the Ottawa River to its highest…

Average elevation: 344 ft

Average elevation: 961 ft

Average elevation: 1,677 ft

In 1496, John Cabot obtained a charter from English King Henry VII to "sail to all parts, countries and seas of the East, the West and of the North, under our banner and ensign and to set up our banner on any new-found-land" and on June 24, 1497, landed in Cape Bonavista. Historians disagree on whether Cabot…

Average elevation: 630 ft

Average elevation: 594 ft

Average elevation: 95 ft

Victoria, British Columbia, is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, and boasts a diverse and varied topography. The city is characterized by rolling hills, rugged coastal cliffs, and lush valleys, providing a striking contrast between mountainous terrain and flatland areas. To the north…

Average elevation: 56 ft

Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 m (2,201 ft). It is North America's northernmost city with a metropolitan population over one million. It is at the same latitude as Hamburg (Germany); Dublin (Ireland); Manchester (United Kingdom); and Magnitogorsk (Russia). It is south of…

Average elevation: 2,264 ft

The rain shadow effect of the island's mountains, as well as the mountains of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, creates wide variation in precipitation. The west coast is considerably wetter than the east coast. Average annual precipitation ranges from 6,650 mm (262 in) at Hucuktlis Lake on the west coast…

Average elevation: 1,348 ft

Kelowna is classified as a humid continental climate or an inland oceanic climate per the Köppen climate classification system due to its coldest month having an average temperature slightly above −3.0 °C (26.6 °F) and below 0 °C (32 °F), with dry, hot, sunny summers and cool, cloudy winters, and four…

Average elevation: 2,310 ft

Average elevation: 499 ft

Saskatoon lies on a long belt of rich, potassic chernozem in middle-southern Saskatchewan and is found in the aspen parkland biome. The lack of surrounding mountainous topography gives the city a relatively flat grid, though the city does sprawl over a few hills and into a few valleys. The lowest point in the…

Average elevation: 1,654 ft

Winnipeg lies at the bottom of the Red River Valley, a flood plain with an extremely flat topography. It is on the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies in Western Canada and is known as the "Gateway to the West". Winnipeg is bordered by tallgrass prairie to the west and south and the aspen parkland to the…

Average elevation: 774 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

London has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), though due to its downwind location relative to Lake Huron and elevation changes across the city, it is virtually on the Dfa/Dfb (hot summer) boundary favouring the former climate zone to the southwest of the confluence of the South and North Thames Rivers,…

Average elevation: 879 ft

Burnaby occupies 98.6 square kilometres (38.1 sq mi) and is located at the geographic centre of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. The regional district's government is located in Burnaby's Metrotown area. Situated between the city of Vancouver on the west and Port Moody, Coquitlam, and New Westminster on…

Average elevation: 194 ft

The western part of the district, the Stave Valley, is largely rural and forested but its watercourse is home to what was the largest hydroelectric project in British Columbia until the Bridge River Power Project opened in 1961. It was built by the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) to provide power to…

Average elevation: 1,132 ft

Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise. At 1,400 to 1,630 m (4,590 to 5,350 ft) above sea level, Banff is the community with the second…

Average elevation: 5,299 ft

Average elevation: 2,733 ft

Average elevation: 1,145 ft

The shoreline of former Glacial Lake Iroquois roughly follows the Dundas Street alignment, although it is not noticeable in some places but is more prominent in others, such as the site of the former brickyard (Shoreline Dr. near Mavis Rd.), the ancient shoreline promenteau affords a clear view of downtown…

Average elevation: 495 ft

Despite its deep ravines, Toronto is not remarkably hilly, but its elevation does increase steadily away from the lake. Elevation differences range from 76.5 metres (251 ft) above sea level at the Lake Ontario shore to 209 m (686 ft) ASL near the York University grounds in the city's north end at the…

Average elevation: 456 ft

Average elevation: 1,125 ft

Average elevation: 381 ft

Average elevation: 361 ft

Average elevation: 217 ft

Vancouver, British Columbia, is situated on the Burrard Peninsula, bordered by Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south. The city's topography is a blend of flat and hilly terrains, with elevations ranging from sea level to approximately 152 meters (500 feet) above sea level. The North…

Average elevation: 112 ft

Average elevation: 331 ft

Gatineau is located in southwestern Quebec, on the northern bank of the Gatineau River. It is situated at an elevation of around 50 m (164.042 ft) The Gatineau Hills are the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains and located in the region. It is also the location of the second largest urban park in the world.…

Average elevation: 417 ft

Average elevation: 1,001 ft

Average elevation: 1,266 ft

Average elevation: 3,596 ft

Average elevation: 3,012 ft

Average elevation: 292 ft

Average elevation: 541 ft

Average elevation: 197 ft

Average elevation: 200 ft

Lake Ontario is the easternmost of the Great Lakes and the smallest in surface area (7,340 sq mi, 18,960 km2), although it exceeds Lake Erie in volume (393 cu mi, 1,639 km3). It is the 13th largest lake in the world. When its islands are included, the lake's shoreline is 712 miles (1,146 km) long. As the last…

Average elevation: 702 ft

Average elevation: 1,624 ft

Average elevation: 991 ft

Average elevation: 787 ft

The area has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb, Trewartha Dclo), but is close to (and once had) a subarctic climate (Dfc) as May and September averages are both close to the 10 °C (50 °F) threshold. Winters are milder than the latitude and elevation might suggest: the January…

Average elevation: 2,247 ft

Average elevation: 1,175 ft

The island is characterized by a number of elevations of ancient crystalline and metamorphic rock rising up from the south to the north, and contrasted with eroded lowlands. The bedrock of blocks that developed in different places around the globe, at different times, and then were fused together via tectonics.

Average elevation: 217 ft

The Mackenzie widens considerably to about 6 to 7 kilometres (3.7 to 4.3 mi) at Norman Wells, a major centre of oil production. There is a narrows at the Mountain River confluence called the Sans Sault Rapids, where the Mackenzie falls about 6 metres (20 ft). Below the Mountain River the Mackenzie flows due…

Average elevation: 2,149 ft

Average elevation: 932 ft

Quebec City was built on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River, where it narrows and meets the mouth of the Saint-Charles River. Old Quebec is located on top and at the foot of Cap-Diamant, which is on the eastern edge of a plateau called the promontory of Quebec (Quebec hill). Because of this topographic…

Average elevation: 384 ft

Average elevation: 92 ft

Like much of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate type Cfb), experiencing mild temperatures and high precipitation; warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. However, compared to most other cities in the area, precipitation is especially heavy in Coquitlam due to its proximity to…

Average elevation: 623 ft

Whitehorse has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc) and lies in the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains, causing precipitation totals to be quite low year-round. Due to the city's location in the Whitehorse valley, the climate is milder than other comparable northern communities such as…

Average elevation: 3,304 ft

Average elevation: 138 ft

Average elevation: 2,372 ft

Average elevation: 381 ft

Average elevation: 33 ft

Average elevation: 728 ft

Average elevation: 1,224 ft

Average elevation: 627 ft

Average elevation: 2,526 ft

Along the extreme western edge of Eastern Ontario is a continuation of the Laurentian Highlands, known as the Opeongo Hills, and they contain some of the highest elevations in Southern Ontario. They stretch into the northern portions of Central Ontario, near Algonquin Provincial Park.

Average elevation: 797 ft

Average elevation: 797 ft

Average elevation: 486 ft

Average elevation: 771 ft

Average elevation: 276 ft

Average elevation: 128 ft

Average elevation: 633 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 732 ft

Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River Valley. It sits at an elevation of 1,186 m (3,891 ft). The town is intersected by Highway 1A and Highway 22. Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). The…

Average elevation: 3,953 ft

Average elevation: 197 ft

Average elevation: 1,535 ft

Sarnia is located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron at its extreme southern point, where it flows into the St. Clair River. Most of the surrounding area is flat, and the elevation ranges from 169 metres (554 ft) and 281 metres (922 ft) above sea level. The soil mostly comprises clay. Despite this high…

Average elevation: 610 ft

Average elevation: 548 ft

This region of Ontario has cold winters and warm, humid summers, falling into the Köppen climate classification Dfb zone, with moderately high rainfall and snowfall. It is generally a couple of degrees cooler than lower elevation regions on the Great Lakes shorelines, especially so in winter, the exception…

Average elevation: 1,129 ft

Average elevation: 351 ft

Average elevation: 2,034 ft

Its high elevation of 929 m (3,047.9 ft) and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains provides Lethbridge with cooler summers than other locations in the Canadian Prairies. These factors protect the city from strong northwest and southwest winds and contribute to frequent chinook winds during the winter.…

Average elevation: 3,012 ft

Average elevation: 2,172 ft

Average elevation: 52 ft

Average elevation: 2,920 ft

Average elevation: 568 ft

Average elevation: 725 ft

Average elevation: 3,507 ft

Average elevation: 1,736 ft

At an altitude of about 17 m (56 ft) above sea level, Fredericton is nestled in the Pennsylvanian Basin. It differs markedly from the geologically older parts of the province. There are prominently two distinct areas in the region that are divided around the area of Wilsey Road, in the east end of the city. In…

Average elevation: 233 ft

Average elevation: 830 ft

Average elevation: 600 ft

Average elevation: 771 ft

Average elevation: 722 ft

Average elevation: 3,629 ft

Average elevation: 1,824 ft

Average elevation: 584 ft