Data quality, concepts and methodology: Geographic classification
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Geographic entities are classified according to Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) used by Statistics Canada. Each reporting entity is assigned a twelve-digit SGC code for identification according to the following geographic levels:
Province and territory (PR): There are ten provinces and three territories.
Economic region (ER): Refers to intraprovincial regions established by the Standards Division of Statistics Canada. There are seventy-six ERs.
Census division (CD): Refers to a group of census subdivisions established by provincial law. There are two hundred and eighty-eight CDs (data on this geographic group is available on request).
Census metropolitan area (CMA): Its delineation corresponds to the 2011 Census definition. The term CMA refers to the main labour market area of an urban area (the urbanized core) of at least 100,000 population, based on the Census population figures. The thirty-three CMAs are shown in this publication. Although the 2011 Census defines the Ottawa-Gatineau area as a single CMA, the area is shown in this publication as two separate entities since it is located in two different provinces.
Census agglomeration (CA): Refers to the smaller labour market area of an urbanized core of at least 10,000 population, as defined by the 2011 Census. There are one hundred and eleven CAs in Canada. When a CA overlaps the boundaries of two provinces, it is shown partly in each province. The Lloydminster agglomeration is an exception to this rule. It is treated as if it was totally located in Alberta.
Other municipalities of at least 10,000 population: Refers to municipalities not included in census agglomerations but with populations of at least 10,000 inhabitants. The distinction is made between these municipalities and CAs in order to permit comparison between the Building Permits Survey and the Housing Starts and Completions Survey which refers to this geographical concept.
Rural area: Refers to all geographic entities not included in a CMA or CA and not identified as an urban centre by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Census subdivision (CSD): Refers to the general term applying to municipalities, Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories. However, since Indian reserves and settlements do not issue building permits, they are not included in this publication.
Non-standard geographic unit: The geographic units shown in this publication do not all satisfy the above definition of census subdivision. Some provincial or municipal administrations producing monthly reports do not correspond to the official geographic entities; they are nevertheless shown in this publication under the geographic entity used by these administrations. These so-called non-standard geographic units are few in number and are mostly concentrated in the Maritime provinces.
Territorial revisions
Territorial boundaries were established according to the 2011 Census definitions. Changes in boundaries, status or name of census subdivisions between censuses are introduced in this publication on a yearly basis. Changes affecting the other geographic units (CMAs, CAs, CDs and ERs) are introduced every five years, eighteen months following the census.
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