Rural Canada
Encyclopedia
Rural Canada has many faces and many dimensions (social, cultural, economic, etc.) but the common element of most conceptualizations of "rural" is the spatial dimension. Rural is primarily low population density
, small population size, and distance from high population density and big size. Not surprisingly, the prevailing definitions of “rural” (in Canada
as in most countries) emphasize this spatial dimension. Rural Canada is usually defined by measures of population density, population size
and distance from major agglomeration
s.
In 2006, the year of the last census of population
, the Canadian population
living in a rural area was between 19% and 30% of the total population, depending on the definition of "rural" used.
The RST population may be disaggregated according to the degree of influence of larger urban centres
(du Plessis et al. 2002, McNiven et al. 2000). Towns and municipalities (i.e. census subdivisions) are classified according to the share of workers who commute to a larger urban centre. This classification is called: Metropolitan Influenced Zone (MIZ). The categories are: Strong MIZ (where 30% or more of the workforce commute
s to an urban core), Moderate MIZ (where 5% to 29% commute to any urban core); Weak MIZ (where greater than 0% but less than 5% commute to any urban core) and No MIZ (where there are no residents commuting to an urban core).
(1994) defined a “predominantly rural region” as having more than 50% of the population living in rural communities where a “rural community
” has a population density less than 150 persons per square kilometre. In Canada, the census division has been used to represent “regions” and census consolidated sub-divisions have been used to represent “communities”. Intermediate regions have 15% to 49% of their population living in a rural community. Predominantly urban regions have less than 15% of their population living in a rural community. Predominantly rural regions are classified as rural metro-adjacent, rural non-metro-adjacent and rural northern, following Ehrensaft and Beeman (1992). Rural metro-adjacent regions are predominantly rural census division
s which are adjacent to metropolitan centres while rural non-metro-adjacent regions are those predominantly rural census divisions which are not adjacent to metropolitan centres. Rural northern regions are predominantly rural census divisions that are found either entirely or mostly above the following lines of parallel in each province: Newfoundland and Labrador
, 50th; Quebec
and Ontario
, 54th; Manitoba
, 53rd; Saskatchewan
, Alberta
and British Columbia
, 54th. As well, rural northern regions encompass all of the Yukon
, Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
.
used by Statistics Canada’s Census of Population. This definition has changed over time (see Appendix A in du Plessis et al., 2002). Typically, it has referred to the population living outside settlements of 1,000 or more inhabitants. The current definition states that census rural is the population outside settlements with 1,000 or more population with a population density of 400 or more inhabitants per square kilometre (Statistics Canada, 2007).
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, small population size, and distance from high population density and big size. Not surprisingly, the prevailing definitions of “rural” (in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as in most countries) emphasize this spatial dimension. Rural Canada is usually defined by measures of population density, population size
Population size
In population genetics and population ecology, population size is the number of individual organisms in a population.The effective population size is defined as "the number of breeding individuals in an idealized population that would show the same amount of dispersion of allele frequencies under...
and distance from major agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
s.
In 2006, the year of the last census of population
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, the Canadian population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
living in a rural area was between 19% and 30% of the total population, depending on the definition of "rural" used.
The RST population may be disaggregated according to the degree of influence of larger urban centres
Urban Center
The Urban Center is a gallery on Madison Avenue in New York City , which is run by the Municipal Art Society . The gallery serves to champion the fields of urban planning and design in New York, and is also the site of MAS' community development workshops, seminars, lectures, and other educational...
(du Plessis et al. 2002, McNiven et al. 2000). Towns and municipalities (i.e. census subdivisions) are classified according to the share of workers who commute to a larger urban centre. This classification is called: Metropolitan Influenced Zone (MIZ). The categories are: Strong MIZ (where 30% or more of the workforce commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
s to an urban core), Moderate MIZ (where 5% to 29% commute to any urban core); Weak MIZ (where greater than 0% but less than 5% commute to any urban core) and No MIZ (where there are no residents commuting to an urban core).
Predominantly rural regions
The OECDOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
(1994) defined a “predominantly rural region” as having more than 50% of the population living in rural communities where a “rural community
Rural community
A rural community is a type of municipality in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.There are five rural communities: Beaubassin East, Saint-André, Upper Miramichi, Campobello Island and Kedgwick.....
” has a population density less than 150 persons per square kilometre. In Canada, the census division has been used to represent “regions” and census consolidated sub-divisions have been used to represent “communities”. Intermediate regions have 15% to 49% of their population living in a rural community. Predominantly urban regions have less than 15% of their population living in a rural community. Predominantly rural regions are classified as rural metro-adjacent, rural non-metro-adjacent and rural northern, following Ehrensaft and Beeman (1992). Rural metro-adjacent regions are predominantly rural census division
Census division
Census division is an official term in Canada and the United States. The census divisions of Canada are second-level census geographic unit, below provinces and territories, and above "census subdivisions" and "dissemination areas". In provinces where they exist, the census division may correspond...
s which are adjacent to metropolitan centres while rural non-metro-adjacent regions are those predominantly rural census divisions which are not adjacent to metropolitan centres. Rural northern regions are predominantly rural census divisions that are found either entirely or mostly above the following lines of parallel in each province: Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 50th; Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 54th; Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, 53rd; Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 54th. As well, rural northern regions encompass all of the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
.
Census rural
This is the definition of ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
used by Statistics Canada’s Census of Population. This definition has changed over time (see Appendix A in du Plessis et al., 2002). Typically, it has referred to the population living outside settlements of 1,000 or more inhabitants. The current definition states that census rural is the population outside settlements with 1,000 or more population with a population density of 400 or more inhabitants per square kilometre (Statistics Canada, 2007).