I've noticed over the past ten years that we rarely have true "cold snaps" anymore. Sure, we'll get a day or two of -20C for a daytime high (and only one so far this winter), but I recall when we might have that for 4 or 5 days in a row. Now it seems that cold air comes but is forced right out again by warmer winds.
As people have joked, our area will likely benefit from warmer temps. Maybe Ottawa can become a wine-producing region, but instead of a fine Chateau Lafite Rothschild maybe we need to market a fine Chateau Lafayette.