Data on urban and rural areas in Canada have been collected since the first census in 1871. For successive censuses, Canada was largely characterized as a predominantly rural country with a widely dispersed population and an economy centred on rural industries. During this period, regions were typically classified using a simple dichotomy: urban or rural. However, as the country has developed, both the boundaries and our understanding of rural and urban spaces have evolved significantly.
The Government of Canada does not use one standardized definition of “rural.” In fact, Statistics Canada uses a range of statistical and geographical concepts to define the term. The agency’s “Population Centre and Rural Area Classification” represents one of the approaches used to define what is considered rural. Other approaches also exist, including the definition of “rural areas and small towns.” Estimates of the rural population vary significantly depending on the classification, concept or definition used.
Moreover, given Canada’s vast geography, rurality is experienced in diverse ways. Although terms like “remoteness” and “northern” are often used interchangeably with “rural,” they are distinct concepts and regions, and recognizing these differences is essential. Many remote areas are home to Indigenous Peoples, and northern communities face unique social, economic and environmental conditions. Together, these concepts provide a deeper understanding of the country’s rural population.
Read the full text of the HillStudy: Urban and Rural regions in Canada: Evolving Definitions and Population Insights
By Megan Barkey, Library of Parliament
Categories: Executive summary, Social affairs and population