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Any municipality outside of a census metropolitan area is rural. This classification considers all large cities as the same, given their shared urban characteristics. It also considers smaller cities, small towns, and rural areas as the same. ROI acknowledges that there are limitations to this approach and that differences exist within these ...
Classification approaches. This factsheet explores the differences between six rural classification approaches. We examined how many people and how many communities (i.e., census subdivisions, municipalities) would be considered rural according to each approach. We selected two approaches using criteria developed by Statistics Canada (Table 1).
Rural area (non-population centre): A definition of rural used by Statistics Canada’s Census of Population Program, referring to areas outside population centres. This definition adopts a demographic perspective of rural areas, focusing on populations residing outside settlements of 1,000 or more inhabitants and a density of fewer than 400 inhabitants per square kilometre.
One of the longstanding debates concerns whether “rural” is a geographical concept, a location with identifiable boundaries on a map, or whether it is a social representation, a community of interest, a culture and way of life. 3. This paper focuses on geographical classifications of “rural.”.
- HIGHLIGHTS
- 2. Why are you asking? – alternative rural issues suggest different demands by analysts for “rural” data
- Policy issues with a neighbourhood or community focus
- Policy issues with a regional focus
- 3. Alternative Definitions of Rural
- 3.1 The building blocks for classifying a geographic space as rural5
- 3.2 Six ways of defining “rural” for national level analysis in Canada
- Assigning “degrees of rurality”
̈ Several alternative definitions of “rural” are available for national level policy analysis in Canada. ̈ For each rural issue, analysts should consider whether it is a local, community or regional issue. This will influence the type of territorial unit upon which to focus the analysis and the appropriate definition to use. ̈ Different definiti...
Some issues are more appropriately addressed within a small, localized territorial unit – and the national picture should be obtained by adding together these small, localized territorial units. Other issues are more appropriately addressed within a larger (regional) territorial unit – and the national picture should be obtained by adding together...
Examples of issues with a local focus might include the availability of day care services, the quality of schools, the availability of fire protection services or the quality of the groundwater1. For these issues, we suggest that analysts consider “neighbourhood-level” or “community-level” geographical units as the territorial unit of analysis. N...
Today, most labour market issues are considered at a “functional” or regional level because the labour force is relatively mobile within a commuter shed2. This includes questions of economic diversification, labour force training and skills upgrading and promoting business starts. Other issues require a relatively high population concentration in ...
Much has been written on the concept of “rural.” The treatises of alternative views are numerous and varied. One longstanding debate is whether “rural” is a geographical concept, a location with boundaries on a map, or whether it is a social representation, a community of interest, a culture and way of life3. This paper focuses on geographical cl...
All but one of the definitions summarised below are constructed using building blocks or territorial units from the hierarchy of Census geography. Each territorial unit may be considered a “building block” for classifying geographic space. Since we are focussing on geographical classifications of “rural”, individuals are classified as “rural” if ...
For national level analysis in Canada, at least six alternative definitions of “rural” are available (see Box B):
Rather than using one of the existing definitions, another option is to assign one (or more) “degrees of rurality” to each territorial unit. Analysts may make an assignment that is specific to a policy debate or a sub-national development issue.
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Taken together, population centres and rural areas cover all of Canada. Population centres are classified into three groups, depending on the size of their population: small population centres, with a population between 1,000 and 29,999. medium population centres, with a population between 30,000 and 99,999.
People also ask
What is a rural area?
Are all areas outside population centres classified as rural areas?
What is rural population?
What is population centre and rural area classification?
Why does the definition of a “rural” population matter?
What is a rural and small town?
5,957,695 persons. Rural employment (2023) 2,606.7 thousand persons. Rural unemployment rate (2023) 5.2%. More key indicators. Number of small businesses in rural and small town Canada (2021) 315,221. Number of non-profit organizations in rural and small town Canada (2021)
