Where is this?
Ontario
Where is this?
Southern Quebec
Where is this?
Southern Prairies
Rural Settlement Patterns
Canada’s population is NOT evenly distributed throughout the country
Settlement in Canada can be divided into 2 major categories:
1. Urban
2. Rural
-settlement that occurs outside cities and towns
Rural settlement is characterized by:
• Low population density
• dispersed population distribution
The pattern of settlement is affected by 3 key factors:
1. Kind of resources found in the area
2. Transportation methods available at time of settlement
3. Role played by governmental policy
The combination of the these three factors have lead to three distinct
settlement patterns in Canada:
• the LONG LOTS of southern Quebec
• the CONCESSION SYSTEM of southern Ontario
• the SECTION SYSTEM of the Prairies
Long Lots of Southern Quebec
• Developed along
waterways
• Settled before survey
system implemented
• Long, thin farms
• Heritage Law –
owners had to divide
land amongst
offspring
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
– Excellent soil conditions
– Access to river ways
– Narrow – lower taxes
– Close to neighbours
Cons
– Narrow lots hard to work
– Land became small and
unworkable when divided
amongst offspring
Concession System in Ontario
• Occurred after survey
system was in place
• Based on road and
railways – no longer
dependent on water
• Concession Roads
are parallel to
waterway, and side
roads are
perpendicular
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
– Excellent soil for
agriculture
– Access to roadways
– Easier access to land
Cons
– Further from
neighbours
Section System in Southern
Prairies
• Land was surveyed
before settlement
occurred
• Land divided into 36
sections and each
section divided into 4
quadrants
• A family would get
one quadrant –
approx. 64ha in size
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
– Land was well suited for
modern farm machinery
Cons
– Soil was less fertile needed larger farms
– Resulted in farm
consolidation
– Some distance between
neighbours
Scattered Settlement
•
Settlement within other areas of Canada based
on two main reasons.
1. Resource-Based Settlement
– settlement a result of a product or resources
– these included fishing, forestry, mining, and
recreation
– Occurred in Atlantic Maritimes, Boreal Shield,
Boreal Plain, Montane Cordillera, Pacific Maritimes
2. Service-Based Settlement
• Often based on transportation
• Provides a variety of services which are
needed by people in lightly populated areas
• These may included gas stations, motels,
post offices, restaurants
Issues with Rural Areas Today
•
•
•
•
Movement towards urbanization
Movement to commercial farming
Technology is advancing farming practices
Fewer services provided within rural
regions
• Increased costs for goods and services
• Less rural areas as a result of urbanization
Population Distribution: Urban versus Rural
Where do Canadians live?
Do we live in cities or in the country?
Has it always been this way?
Population of Provinces in Urban and Rural Setting (% Distribution)
While you watch this short video, take some key notes
Your Turn. . .
Read pages 232 –233:
ISSUE: Rural Population; Rural Depopulation
Complete questions 1-4