This ISN'T an unusually cold or snowy winter for the Lower Mainland. Just a return to more normal conditions after a number of warmer winters (I lived there for 30 years and there were many cold and snowy winters). The fact is that they're just not prepared for actual winter down there - whether that be the buses, street clearing or just drivers with crappy all-season tires. The newer residents to the LM seem to think they have moved to San Diego, but they haven't.