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• Agricultural Region.

A contiguous group of census divisions except in Saskatchewan.  In Saskatchewan, agricultural regions are groupings of census consolidated subdivisions, but these groupings do not necessarily respect census division boundaries.  In the Prairie provinces, agricultural regions are commonly referred to as crop districts.  Agricultural regions have not been defined for Prince Edward Island, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories.
 
• Block-face (BF).

One side of a city street, normally between two consecutive intersections with streets or other features such as rivers and railways.  A block-face is generally used for census data aggregation in large urban centres within Street Network File coverage.
 
• Census Agglomeration (CA).

A large urban area, together with adjacent urban and rural areas that have a high degree of economic and social integration with that urban area.  A CA is comprised of one or more contiguous census subdivisions (CSD).  CAs are defined by Statistics Canada, sometimes in cooperation with provincial focal points.
A CA is delineated around an urban area (called the urbanized core and having a population of at least 10,000, based on the previous census).  Census subdivisions are included in the CA on the basis of decennial place-of-work commuting data.  If a CA's urbanized core population falls below 10,000, it is deleted from the CA program.  However, if a CA attains an urbanized core population of at least 100,000, based on the previous census, it becomes a census metropolitan area (CMA).
 
• Census Consolidated Subdivision (CCS).

A grouping of contiguous census subdivisions (CSD).  In some cases, a large CSD can form a CCS on its own.  CCSs are used primarily for disseminating Census of Agriculture data.
 
• Census Division (CD).

A geographic area established by provincial law that is an intermediate area between the census subdivision and the province (e.g. division, county, regional district, regional municipality).
In Newfoundland, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, provincial law does not provide for this administrative area.  Therefore, CDs have been created by Statistics Canada in cooperation with these provinces.
 
• Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).

A very large urban area, together with adjacent urban and rural areas that have a high degree of economic and social integration with that urban area.  A CMA is comprised of one or more contiguous census subdivisions (CSD).  CMAs are defined by Statistics Canada, sometimes in cooperation with provincial focal points.
A CMA is delineated around an urban area (called the urbanized core and having a population of at least 100,000, based on the previous census).  Census subdivisions are included in the CMA on the basis of decennial place-of-work commuting data.  Once an area becomes a CMA, it is retained in the program even if its population subsequently declines.
 
• Census Subdivision (CSD).

A municipality as determined by provincial legislation (such as city, town, village), or its equivalent (e.g. Indian reserve, Indian settlement and unorganized territory).  In Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and British Columbia, other types of CSDs have been created by Statistics Canada in cooperation with the provinces as equivalents for municipalities.
Indian settlements are recognized as CSDs by Statistics Canada in cooperation with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and with provincial/territorial authorities.
 
• Census Subdivision Type.

The type indicates the municipal status of a census subdivision. CSDs are classified into various types, according to official designations adopted by provincial or federal authorities.
 
• Census Tract (CT).

A permanent, small urban neighbourhood-like or rural community-like area established in large urban centres with the help of local specialists interested in urban and social science research.
Census tracts are delineated jointly by a local committee and Statistics Canada.  The population must be between 2,500 and 8,000, with a preferred average of 4,000 persons (except for those CTs in central business districts, in other major commercial and industrial zones, or in peripheral rural or urban areas that may have either a lower or higher population).  Also, when first delineated or subsequently subdivided, CTs must be as socio-economically homogeneous and compact in shape as possible, and follow permanent, easily recognizable physical features.
All CMAs and CAs in Canada containing a CSD having a population of 50,000 or more at the previous census are eligible for a census tract program.
 
• CMA/CA Component.

Refers to the census subdivisions (CSDs) that form the building blocks of a census metropolitan area (CMA), census agglomeration (CA), primary census metropolitan area (PCMA) or primary census agglomeration (PCA).
 
• CMA/CA Parts.

The parts distinguish between central and peripheral urban and rural areas within a CMA or CA.  There are three CMA/CA parts:
• Urbanized core.  A large urban area around which a CMA or CA is delineated.  The urbanized core must have a population (based on the previous census) of at least 100,000 in the case of a CMA, or between 10,000 and 99,999 in the case of a CA.
• Urban fringe.  An urban area within a CMA or CA, but outside the urbanized core.
• Rural fringe.  All territory within a CMA or CA lying outside urban areas.

 
• Digitizing.

The process of transforming spatial elements of a map or other two-dimensional images into x,y coordinates of cartesian space.
 
• Economic Region (ER). 

See definition for subprovincial region.
 
• Ecumene.

Used by geographers to mean inhabited land; derived from the Greek root "oixos" meaning inhabited and "nenon" meaning space.  Generally refers to land where people have made their permanent home and to all work areas that are considered occupied and utilized for agricultural or any other economic purposes.  Thus, there can be various types of ecumenes, each having their own unique characteristics (such as a population ecumene, agriculture ecumene, industrial ecumene, etc.).
 
• Electronic Shelf.

A Statistics Canada service that allows clients to choose any standard table(s) available in published or electronic format.  For selected tables, geographical detail not included in published format is available through this service.
 
• Enumeration Area (EA).

The geographic area canvassed by one census representative.  The number of dwellings in an EA generally varies between a maximum of 375 in large urban areas to a minimum of 125 in rural areas.  An EA always respects higher level geographic areas recognized by the census, and is the smallest geographic area for which census data are available.
 
• Federal Electoral District (FED). 

Any place or territorial area entitled to return a member to serve in the House of Commons.  FED legal limits and descriptions are the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer, and usually are revised every 10 years using the results of the decennial census. The 1987 Representation Order is the most current one, and is based on 1981 Census population data.
 
• Forward Sortation Area (FSA). 

An area represented by the first three characters of the Postal Code. An urban FSA is served by approximately 25 postal walks; a rural FSA encompasses not more than 199 rural postal offices.  Rural FSAs are identified by the presence of a "0" in the second position of the FSA code.
 
• Geocoding. 

The process of assigning explicit and/or implicit geographic identifiers to records or map features stored in a data file.  Explicit geocodes involve coordinates (e.g. latitude/longitude, UTM) defining the absolute positions of points, lines or areas.  Implicit geocodes include addresses, census subdivision codes, postal codes, etc. that are linked to these points, lines or areas.
 
• Geographic Area.

An area delineated or employed for the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of census data.
 
• Geographic Attribute Data Base.

A Statistics Canada relational data base that contains a number of attributes (such as names, codes, population and dwelling counts, land area) for standard geographic areas, and linkages between the geographic areas.
 
• Geographic Reference Date. 

Date determined by Statistics Canada to establish the geographic framework for which census data will be collected, tabulated and reported.  For the 1991 Census, for example, the geographic reference date is January 1, 1991.
 
 
• Lambert Conformal Conic Map Projection.

A conformal map projection of the conical type that is widely used for Canada maps, since it provides good directional and shape relationships for mid-latitude regions having a mainly east-to-west extent.  Standard parallels at 49oN and 77oN are most commonly used, as well as a central meridian at 91o52'W.
 
• Land Area. 

Refers to area measurement (in square kilometres).  All measurements of the geographic areas apply to the limits in effect on January 1, 1991, the geographic reference date for the 1991 Census of Canada.
Gross land area includes bodies of water; net land area excludes discernible bodies of water found on the maps used to calculate land area.
 
• Latitude, Longitude.

A spherical coordinate system to specify locations on the surface of the earth.
 
• Map Projection.

The systematic arrangement of parallels (latitude) and meridians (longitude) portraying the spherical surface of the earth onto a plane (flat) surface.
 
• National Topographic System (NTS). 

A system designed to provide for the orderly mapping of Canada at a range of scales from 1:1,000,000 to 1:25,000.  The system of map scales and sheet lines is based on a grid of primary quadrangles, each 4o of latitude by 8o of longitude.
 
• Place Name.

A name for localities, urban neighbourhoods, post offices, communities and other types of unincorporated places.  Place names include the names of inhabited places, formerly inhabited places and other names associated with some human activity.
 
• Postal Code. 

A six-character alphanumeric code assigned to one or more postal addresses in a specific delivery area.  The code is defined and maintained by Canada Post Corporation for the sortation and delivery of mail.
 
• Postal Walk. 

The route covered by one letter carrier.
 
• Primary Census Agglomeration (PCA).

A subregion within a larger consolidated CMA or CA.  Consolidation occurs when adjacent CMAs or CAs are socially and economically integrated, specifically when the total commuting interchange between the two is equal to at least 35% of the employed labour force living in the smaller CMA or CA, based on the previous census.  After consolidation, the original CA becomes a PCA within the consolidated CMA or CA.
A regular CA is free-standing; it is either not adjacent to or not sufficiently related to another CMA or CA to be consolidated.
 
• Primary Census Metropolitan Area (PCMA). 

A subregion within a larger consolidated CMA.  Consolidation occurs when adjacent CMAs or CAs are socially and economically integrated, specifically when the total commuting interchange between the two is equal to at least 35% of the employed labour force living in the smaller CMA or CA, based on the previous census.  After consolidation, the original CMA becomes a PCMA within the consolidated CMA.
A regular CMA is free-standing; it is either not adjacent to or not sufficiently related to another CMA or CA to be consolidated.
 
• Province.

The major political division of Canada.  From a statistical point of view, it is a basic unit for which data are tabulated and cross-classified.
 
• Provincial Census Tract (PCT).

A permanent, small urban neighbourhood-like or rural community-like area established outside those CMAs and CAs having a census tract (CT) program.  PCTs encompass populations between 3,000 and 8,000, with a preferred average of 5,000 persons.  When possible, PCT boundaries follow permanent physical features.  When originally delineated, PCTs in some provinces were based on boundaries suggested by provincial authorities.
Taken together, CTs and PCTs cover all of Canada.
 
• Reference Map. 

A map that shows the locations and boundaries of the geographic areas for which census data are tabulated and published.  The main information depicted on reference maps includes the boundaries, names and codes of census geographic areas, and major cultural and physical features such as roads, railways, rivers and lakes.
 
• Representative Point.

Formerly called a centroid, it is a pair of coordinate values (x,y) that represents a geographic entity for the purpose of assigning aggregate data to that entity.
 
• Rural Area.

Sparsely populated areas outside urban areas.  It is the area left over after defining urban areas.
 
• Standard Geographical Classification (SGC).

Statistics Canada's official classification of geographic areas in Canada.  The SGC provides unique numeric identification for three types of geographic areas: provinces/territories, census divisions and census subdivisions.
The three geographic areas are hierarchically related.  CSDs aggregate to CDs, which in turn aggregate to a province or territory.  This relationship is reflected in the 7-digit code:  2 digits for provinces/territories, 2 digits for census divisions and 3 digits for census subdivisions.
 
• Street Network File (SNF). 

Formerly known as the Area Master File (AMF), the Street Network File is computer-readable file that geographically references the street network and selected other non-street features (such as rivers, lakes, railways and municipal limits).  SNFs are generally created for urban centres containing at least one municipality with a population of 50,000 or more at the previous census.  These centres are normally in the census tract program.
The SNFs contain the names for all street and non-street features.  In addition, the intersection (corner) civic address ranges and block-face representative points are available for addressable streets.
 
• Subprovincial Region (SPR). 

A grouping of complete census divisions.  Prince Edward Island and the two Territories each consist of one SPR.  SPRs coincide with the current Labour Force Survey (LFS) economic regions, except in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
SPRs are designated by law in Quebec and British Columbia.  In the other provinces, the regions were created by agreement between Statistics Canada and the province/territory.  SPRs are used primarily for disseminating economic data.
 
• Territory.

Two major political divisions of Canada, namely Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories.  From a statistical point of view, these territories are equivalent to province (i.e. a basic unit for which data are tabulated and cross-classified).
 
• Thematic Map.

Also called a special-purpose or statistical map, it is a map that focuses on a specific distribution or theme, rather than on general-reference features such as boundaries, water bodies, roads and place names.
 
• Township, Range and Meridian (TRM).

A legal, grid-like system of land partitioning and location in the Prairie provinces.  The meridians follow every 5th degree of longitude.  Each township/range, which is 6 x 6 miles in size, is divided into 36 sections.  Each section, which is 1 x 1 mile in size, is further subdivided into four quarter sections.
 
• Unincorporated Place (UP).

A cluster of five or more occupied dwellings in rural areas, locally known by a specific name, but not having a local government or legal limits.
 
• Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM). 

An international grid system that covers the earth's surface between 84oN and 80oS.  The earth is divided into 60 north-south zones, each of which is 6o of longitude wide.  The zones are numbered from 1 to 60 eastward, beginning at the 180th meridian.  A grid system is superimposed on the zones, and separate Transverse Mercator projections are centred on each zone.
 
• Urban Area (UA). 

An area containing a dense concentration of population.  It must have a population of at least 1,000 and a density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre, based on the previous census. Urban areas are comprised of complete enumeration areas.  UAs separated by gaps of less than two kilometres (road distance) are combined to form a single urban area.
All territory lying outside urban areas is considered rural.  Taken together, urban and rural areas cover all of Canada.

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Prepared by Caroline Habluetzel  and Anastassia Khouri Last updated: March 20, 2002 (CH) ©  EDRS - McGill University