SGC 2011 – Definitions

A census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA) is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more must live in the core. A CA must have a core population of at least 10,000. To be included in the CMA or CA, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the core as measured by commuting flows derived from previous census place of work data.

If the population of the core of a CA declines below 10,000, the CA is retired. However, once an area becomes a CMA, it is retained as a CMA even if its total population declines below 100,000 or the population of its core falls below 50,000. All areas inside the CMA or CA that are not population centres are rural areas.

When a CA has a core of at least 50,000, it is subdivided into census tracts. Census tracts are maintained for the CA even if the population of the core subsequently falls below 50,000. All CMAs are subdivided into census tracts.

The census metropolitan categories are groupings of census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and census metropolitan influenced zones outside census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations established for the purpose of statistical reporting. There are three census metropolitan categories:

1. Census metropolitan areas (CMAs)
2. Census agglomerations (CAs)
3. Outside census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and census agglomerations (CAs)

The census metropolitan influenced zone (MIZ) is a concept that geographically differentiates the area of Canada outside census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and census agglomerations (CAs). Census subdivisions (CSDs) within provinces that are outside CMAs and CAs are assigned to one of four categories according to the degree of influence (strong, moderate, weak or no influence) that the CMAs or CAs have on them. The CSDs within the territories that are outside CAs are assigned to a separate category.

Census subdivisions within provinces are assigned to a MIZ category based on the percentage of their resident employed labour force that commutes to work in the core(s) of CMAs or CAs. CSDs with the same degree of influence tend to be clustered. They form zones around CMAs and CAs that progress through the categories from 'strong' to 'no' influence as distance from the CMAs and CAs increases. As many CSDs in the territories are very large and sparsely populated, the commuting flow of the resident employed labour force is unstable. For this reason, CSDs in the territories that are outside CAs are assigned to a separate category that is not based on their commuting flows.

CSDs outside CMAs and CAs are assigned to the following MIZ categories:

1. Strong metropolitan influenced zone: This category includes CSDs in provinces where at least 30% of the CSD's resident employed labour force commute to work in any CMA or CA. It excludes CSDs with fewer than 40 persons in their resident employed labour force.
2. Moderate metropolitan influenced zone: This category includes CSDs in provinces where at least 5% but less than 30% of the CSD's resident employed labour force commute to work in any CMA or CA. It excludes CSDs with fewer than 40 persons in their resident employed labour force.
3. Weak metropolitan influenced zone: This category includes CSDs in provinces where more than 0% but less than 5% of the CSD's resident employed labour force commute to work in any CMA or CA. It excludes CSDs with fewer than 40 persons in their resident employed labour force.
4. No metropolitan influenced zone: This category includes CSDs in provinces where none of the CSD's resident employed labour force commute to work in any CMA or CA. It also includes CSDs in provinces with fewer than 40 persons in their resident employed labour force.
5. Territories (outside CAs): This category includes CSDs in the territories outside CAs.

The geographical regions of Canada are groupings of provinces and territories established for the purpose of statistical reporting. The six geographical regions of Canada are:

1. Atlantic
2. Quebec
3. Ontario
4. Prairies
5. British Columbia
6. Territories