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A new research project on Canadian settlements: initial geographic results

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Nancy Hofmann, Akmal Elgarawany, Hugo Larocque, Giuseppe Filoso and Tim Dennis, Environment Accounts and Statistics Division

The need for a new dataset
Initial research results
Physical geography and historical preferences
Future directions

This paper introduces a new concept and dataset developed by Statistics Canada to delineate or map boundaries for Canada’s settlements. For the purposes of this research, settlements are defined as tracts of land where humans have altered the physical environment by constructing residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and other installations or buildings. Settlements include cities, towns, villages and other concentrations of human population.

Settlements are fundamental to Canadian society, as most Canadians either live or work in a settlement. While settlements are important hubs for residential, commercial and industrial activity, the size, structure and form of settlements over time can have a variety of social, economic and environmental implications. The expansion of settlements, for instance, requires infrastructure such as roads, sewers and water supply lines and can lead to encroachment onto high quality agricultural land. Potential environmental impacts include loss of wildlife habitat, increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and the contamination of rivers, lakes and aquifers. The form of expansion is also significant. Low density expansion consumes more agricultural and forested land and results in higher infrastructure costs per capita than high density expansion.

The settlements research project provides detailed, harmonized and comparable datasets that will allow for a more complete national analysis of settlements including their physical form and growth patterns. One key use of the data by Statistics Canada is the development of a series of indicators that will help track land cover and land use change.

What you should know about this study

The methodology used for delineating settlements in Canada was made possible through the analysis of data extracted from satellite imagery and the use of census data.

Through geo-statistical analysis of this information, a series of rules and thresholds were developed to delineate settlements by 'dissemination block.' The dissemination block is the smallest census geographic unit available and, in general terms, is an area equivalent to a city block bounded by intersecting streets. Census data on population, dwelling and employment were used. Settlement boundaries were produced for 2001 and 2006, the most recent census years, and provide an accurate portrayal of the physical form of Canada’s settlements.

A fundamental component of this research project was the creation of a database referred to as the Settlements Earth Observation Inventory (SEOI). The SEOI provides information based on an overlay and visual interpretation of dissemination blocks in comparison to mostly high-resolution satellite imagery. For example, in addition to census data for each block, the percentage of settled area is now available for many individual dissemination blocks. The SEOI was created for the following reasons: to understand the characteristics of settled blocks and the spatial structure of settlements, to assist in the development of thresholds and subsequent rules, and to conduct data quality and accuracy activities.

For more detailed information including the methodological research and SEOI, data processing and data accuracy activities, please refer to: Introducing a New Concept and Methodology for Delineating Settlement Boundaries: A Research Project on Canadian Settlements.

The need for a new dataset

There is strong policy and research interest for this project, since the existing datasets on the structure of settlements have significant limitations. For instance, not all existing datasets were produced at regular intervals and most, owing to their underlying methodologies, yielded settlement boundary results that were often not comparable over time and space. A review of settlement boundary datasets showed that many of the datasets were created using boundaries that did not necessarily reflect the true physical form of settlements; sometimes this resulted in the inclusion of large amounts of other land uses, such as agriculture, within the boundaries of settlements. This research project on Canadian settlements was designed to provide timely data and digital boundaries that more closely reflected the physical form of settlements.

This research project was funded by the Policy Research Initiative’s Policy Research Data Group, which identifies data gaps and collaborates in the development of new data products for research in priority horizontal policy areas.1

Initial research results

Some of the early results of this project are related to analyzing general settlement patterns including the tendency of settlements to be more concentrated in specific parts of Canada. There are also typical geographic or location preferences such as proximity to fertile agricultural land and access to transportation.

Concentrations of settlements

Approximately 20,000 square kilometres of Canada’s land was classified as settled in 2006.2 Map 1 shows the settlements found in Canada through this research project. Settlements are found throughout the country, but tend to be concentrated in certain regions—particularly in southern British Columbia, central Alberta and southern Ontario and Quebec.

Map 1 Initial research results: settlements in Canada, 2006

Physical geography and historical preferences

Fertile agricultural land was a major draw for settlers

The more accurate location of settlements provided by this research makes it evident that physical geography and historical settlement preferences played an important role in the creation and location of settlements in Canada. Historically, when settlers came to Canada they settled near fertile agricultural land. Many successful and growing settlements started as small agricultural trading centres. Map 2 shows the Class 1 to 3 agricultural land in southern Ontario and Quebec.3 This ‘dependable agricultural land’ is considered to be free of any severe constraints to crop production. Ontario and Quebec are home to 20% of Canada’s total dependable agricultural land. Over 56% of Canada’s Class 1 agricultural land, the most fertile, is found in Ontario alone.4

Map 2 Initial research results: settlements and dependable agricultural land in southern Ontario and Quebec, 2006

Although it was the fertile agricultural land that helped attract settlers, the expansion of settlements is often carefully controlled to preserve this agricultural land. In Ontario, for example, the provincial government has extended a moratorium on expansion in areas of the extended Greater Toronto Area.

Similarly, British Columbia has developed an Agricultural Land Reserve to restrict encroachment on agricultural land. At the same time, the Greater Vancouver Regional District has approved a “Liveable Region Strategic Plan” to control expansion. However, unlike other parts of the country, the greater Vancouver area has natural restrictions to growth due to its physical environment; the expansion of the settled areas is inhibited by the Rocky Mountains (Map 3). The settlements results clearly show this boundary.

Map 3 Initial research results: Vancouver area, 2006

Railways shaped settlements in the Prairies

In the Prairie region, settlements follow the railway lines (Map 4). To entice immigrants to settle the west, the Canadian government gave away plots of land to settlers. The Canadian Pacific Railway was the nation’s only transcontinental line. Many cities and towns in Canada owe their very inception to railways.5

Map 4 Initial research results: Prairie provinces, 2006

The importance of transportation

Transportation was also an important factor in the development of other settlements. Typically settlements are located near rivers and water bodies. There are many advantages for such a location, including transportation, but also access to drinking water and resources from the sea. In the Maritime provinces, many settlements are located near coastal areas (Map 1). For instance, in 2006, almost 70% of settlements were located within 10 kilometres of the coast in the Atlantic provinces.

Future directions

Using the new dataset introduced in this paper, a series of indicators are planned to help illuminate settlement-related issues in Canada. Several key themes have been proposed for further study. Although some national and provincial data will be available, it is proposed that the indicators be based on two broad categories: settlements by class size and Canada’s very largest settlements. Initial indicators would cover the following themes: land converted to settlements (2001 to 2006); density of settled areas; compactness or distribution of settlements.

The Settlements Project team consisted of the following:

Nancy Hofmann, project manager
Akmal Elgarawany, technical leader (Research and Methodology)
Hugo Larocque
Giuseppe Filoso
Tim Dennis


Notes

  1. For more information please see: Government of Canada, Policy Research Initiative, 2009, Policy Research Data Group (accessed February 19, 2010).
  2. This figure includes adjustments made to the total area of dissemination blocks classified as settled, by using the SEOI. For more information about the SEOI please see: Statistics Canada, 2010, “Introducing a New Concept and Methodology for Delineating Settlement boundaries: A Research Project on Canadian Settlements,” Environment Accounts and Statistics Analytical and Technical Paper Series, Catalogue no. 16-001-M2010011.
  3. As defined by the Canada Land Inventory (CLI). For more information on the CLI please visit: Canada Land Inventory, 2000, Canada Land Inventory (accessed February 19, 2010).
  4. N. Hofmann, G. Filoso and M. Schofield, 2005, "The loss of dependable agricultural land in Canada," Rural and Small Town Analysis Bulletin, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 21-006-X2005001, Vol. 6, no. 1.
  5. Library and Archives Canada, 2003, Urban Growth (accessed November 24, 2009).