4. Technical specifications

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Record layouts and data descriptions
Attribute domain values
File specifications
Software formats
System requirements
Installation instructions
File naming convention

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Record layouts and data descriptions

Table 4.1 Geographic Attribute File – record layout

Attribute domain values

Census division type (CDtype)

The following is the list of the different types of census divisions.

list of the different types of census divisions.

CDtype	CD description
CDR	Census division / Division de recensement
CT	County / Comté
CTY	County
DIS	District
DM	District municipality
MRC	Municipalité régionale de comté
RD	Regional district
REG	Region
RM	Regional municipality
TÉ	Territoire équivalent
TER	Territory / Territoire
UC	United counties

Table 4.2 Census division types by province and territory, 2011 Census

Census subdivision type (CSDtype)

Census subdivisions are classified according to designations adopted by provincial, territorial or federal authorities.

Census subdivision type (CSDtype)

CSDtype	CSD description
C	City / Cité
CC	Chartered community
CG	Community government
CN	Crown colony / Colonie de la couronne
COM	Community
CT	Canton (municipalité de)
CU	Cantons unis (municipalité de)
CV	City / Ville
CY	City
DM	District municipality
HAM	Hamlet
ID	Improvement district
IGD	Indian government district
IM	Island municipality
IRI	Indian reserve / Réserve indienne
LGD	Local government district
LOT	Township and royalty
M	Municipality / Municipalité
MD	Municipal district
MÉ	Municipalité
MU	Municipality
NH	Northern hamlet
NL	Nisga'a land
NO	Unorganized / Non organisé
NV	Northern village
P	Parish / Paroisse (municipalité de)
PE	Paroisse (municipalité de)
RCR	Rural community / Communauté rurale
RDA	Regional district electoral area
RG	Region
RGM	Regional municipality
RM	Rural municipality
RV	Resort village
S-É	Indian settlement / Établissement indien
SA	Special area
SC	Subdivision of county municipality / Subdivision municipalité de comté
SÉ	Settlement / Établissement
SET	Settlement
SG	Self-government / Autonomie gouvernementale
SM	Specialized municipality
SNO	Subdivision of unorganized / Subdivision non organisée
SV	Summer village
T	Town
TC	Terres réservées aux Cris
TI	Terre inuite
TK	Terres réservées aux Naskapis
TL	Teslin land
TP	Township
TV	Town / Ville
V	Ville
VC	Village cri
VK	Village naskapi
VL	Village
VN	Village nordique

Census metropolitan area and census agglomeration type (CMAtype)

The types associated with the census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations include:

The types associated with the census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations

CMAtype	CMA description
B	Census metropolitan area (CMA)
D	Census agglomeration (CA) with no census tracts
G	Strong metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ)
H	Moderate metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ)
I	Weak metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ)
J	No metropolitan influenced zone
K	Census agglomeration (CA) with census tracts
L	Territories, outside census agglomeration (CA)

Table 4.3 Census metropolitan area and census agglomeration types by province and territory, 2011 Census

Statistical Area Classification type (SACtype)

The Statistical Area Classification type is a one-digit code that identifies whether a census subdivision is a component of a census metropolitan area (CMA), a census agglomeration (CA), a census metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ) or located in the territories.

Statistical Area Classification type (SACtype)

SACtype	SACtype description
1	Census subdivision within census metropolitan area
2	Census subdivision within census agglomeration with at least one census tract
3	Census subdivision within census agglomeration having no census tracts
4	Census subdivision outside of census metropolitan area and census agglomeration area having strong metropolitan influence
5	Census subdivision outside of census metropolitan area and census agglomeration area having moderate metropolitan influence
6	Census subdivision outside of census metropolitan area and census agglomeration area having weak metropolitan influence
7	Census subdivision outside of census metropolitan area and census agglomeration area having no metropolitan influence
8	Census subdivision within the territories, outside of census agglomeration

Table 4.4 Statistical Area Classification values by province and territory, 2011 Census

SACCODE

The Statistical Area Classification code is a three-digit code that groups census subdivisions according to whether they are a component of a census metropolitan area, a census agglomeration or a census metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ). The MIZ categories, which denote the degree of influence that the CMAs and CAs have on these zones, are: strong (996), moderate (997), weak (998), no influence (999), or located in the territories (000) where the Statistical Area Classification is not applicable.

SACCODE

SACCODE	SACCODE description
000	Territories, outside of CA
001-995	CMA or CA
996	Strong
997	Moderate
998	Weak
999	No influence

More details can be found in the Standard Geographical Classification (SGC), volume I – Statistical Area Classification – Variants of SGC (Catalogue no. 12-571-X).

Population centre and rural area type (POPCTRRAtype)

The following is the list of the population centre and rural area types.

1. Core inside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration
2. Fringe inside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration
3. Rural area inside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration
4. Population centre outside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration
5. Rural area outside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration
6. Secondary core inside of a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration

Table 4.5 Population centre type values by province and territory, 2011 Census

Population centre and rural area size classes (POPCTRRAclass)

The following is the list of the population centre and rural area size classes.

1. Rural area
2. Small population centre (population 1,000 to 29,999)
3. Medium population centre (population 30,000 to 99,999)
4. Large urban population centre (population 100,000 or greater)

Table 4.6 Population centre size class values by province and territory, 2011 Census

Designated place type (DPLtype)

The following is a list of the types of designated places.

• CFA   Class IV area
• DMU   Dissolved municipality
• DPL   Designated place
• IRI   Indian reserve / Réserve indienne
• IST   Island trust
• LNC   Localité non constituée
• LSB   Local service board
• LSD   Local service district
• LUD   Local urban district
• MDI   Municipalité dissoute
• MDP   Municipal defined places
• MET   Métis settlement
• NCM   Northern community
• NVL   Nisga'a village
• OHM   Organized hamlet
• SE    Aboriginal settlement
• UNP   Unincorporated place
• UUC   Unincorporated urban centre

Table 4.7 Designated place types by province and territory, 2011 Census

File specifications

The 2011 Census Geographic Attribute File size is approximately 460 MB in ASCII format (.txt) and 100 MB in Excel format (.xlsx).

Software formats

This reference guide does not provide details on specific software packages that are available for use with the 2011 Census Geographic Attribute File in ASCII (.txt) format. Users are advised to contact the appropriate software vendor for information.

The 2011 Census Geographic Attribute File in Excel (.xlsx) format is designed to be used with Microsoft Office Excel 2007 or a more recent version.

System requirements

Not applicable

Installation instructions

Not applicable

File naming convention

The 2011 Geographic Attribute File follows a standard naming convention. The file name includes:
Census year_catalogue number_file format. The 2011 Census Geographic Attribute File, in ASCII (.txt) and Excel (.xlsx) formats are named as follows: