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Chapter Three: Settlement Patterns and Ways of Life in Canada
Essential Question:
How does where you live influence how you live?
Geography Terms to know:
ecumene:
a geographic region that is well suited for permanent settlement by people.
Areas not included in the ecumene are generally too dry, too cold, or too
rugged for permanent human settlement.
plural society:
and traditions
a society in which different cultural groups keep their own identity, beliefs,
rural:
found in or living in areas that are not too close to cities
urban:
found in or living in a city
Canada’s Five Regions
Atlantic Region: This region lines the Atlantic coast of Canada. It includes the provinces of
Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Some of
these provinces are islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Core Region:
This region stretches north of the Great Lakes. It includes the two largest
provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
Prairie Region:
This region covers Canada’s central plains. It includes the provinces of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
Pacific Region:
This region is on Canada’s Pacific coast. It is made up of the province of
British Columbia.
Northern Region: This region lies to the north of the provinces. It reaches far into the Arctic
Ocean. It includes Canada’s three territories. These are the Yukon Territories, the Northwest
Territories, and Nunavut.
Key Aspects of Life in Canada’s Five Regions
Pacific Region:
Population:
 more than 4 million people
 most people live in or near Victoria or Vancouver or on the western slopes of the
Rockies.
 high Asian population
Language:
 English is most people’s first language
 Asian languages such as Chinese are also spoken
Climate:
 Marine West Coast along the coast
 colder in the Rocky Mountains
 winter surfing is a popular sport
Buildings:
 strong British influence
 some buildings look almost like castles
Economic Activity:
 farming and forestry are important
 mining, shipping, and hydroelectric power are the largest industries
Prairie Region:
Population:
 more than 5 million people live here
 fast-growing area
 Edmonton and Calgary are the largest cities
Language:
 English is the first language of most people
 French, German, and Ukrainian are also spoken
Climate:
 semiarid to humid continental in south, subarctic in north
 polar bears migrate through Churchill every year
Buildings:
 farms in the southern region
 barns with silos to store grain
Economic Activity:
 farming (half of all of Canada’s farm products)
 mining (more than half of all minerals in Canada), and oil (oil sands)
Northern Region:
Population:
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100,000 people live here
largest land area
smallest population
costly to live in because it’s so far from other places
Language:
 most people speak English as their first language
 many Inuit continue to speak Inuktitut
Climate:
 tundra in the north, subarctic in the south
 all-terrain vehicles are popular as transportation
 dog sled racing is a popular sport
Buildings:
 traditionally, some Inuit made winter igloos from snow blocks
 today most have houses made from kits
Economic Activity:
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hunting and gathering
nomadic herding
mining
government work
Atlantic Region:
Population:
 2.3 million people live here
 first areas of European settlement
 population is declining because fishing restrictions limit jobs
Language:
 most people speak English
 some people speak French
Climate:
 mild, humid continental climate
 wet winters
 ice hockey was born here
Buildings:
 several hundred lighthouses in operation on the coastline
Economic Activity:
 fishing (declining)
 farming (limited)
 forestry
Core Region:
Population:
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19.7 million people populate this area
most Canadians live here
the three largest cities are Toronto, Montreal, and capital city of Ottawa
lots of jobs here
Language:
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in Ontario, most people speak English
in Quebec, most people speak French
both English and French are official languages of Canada
Chinese, Italian, and Portuguese are also spoken
Climate:
 humid continental climate in the south
 colder with less rain in the north
 Winterlude held in February
Buildings:
 British and French influences
 Gothic revival style
 large stone buildings with tall, pointed windows
Economic Activity:
 manufacturing, farming (one-third of all Canada’s farm products)
 hydroelectric power