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Chapter 8 - Canada
Section 1, Regions of Canada
• Canada covers most of the northern half of N.
America.
• Canada shares many physical characteristics
with the US. However, it is a distinct nation
with its own unique cultural characteristics,
opportunities, and challenges.
Continued…
• Canada’s ten provinces (political divisions),
and three territories can be divided into five
regions based on physical features, culture,
and economy.
• Regions in the US overlap each other in
Canada this isn’t the case because of smaller
population and government structure.
The Atlantic Provinces
• Tucked into the southeastern corner of
Canada are the four Atlantic Provinces of
Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward
Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Continued…
• All four provinces border on the Atlantic
Ocean.
• The land in this region forms part of the
Appalachian Mountains, which extend
southward into the eastern United States.
• Hills covered with thick mixed deciduous
forest and rugged mountaintops highlight the
region.
• Thousands of lakes and small ponds dot the
rugged terrain.
Links to the Sea
• The Atlantic Provinces are often called the
Maritimes because of their close ties to the
sea.
• What does the word Maritime mean?
• Coastlines are marked by hundreds of bays
and inlets, providing excellent harbors for
fishing fleets.
• Most residents of this region live along the
coast.
Continued…
• The Atlantic Provinces are the smallest of
Canada’s regions, including only about 5% of
Canada’s land and only about 8% of its people.
Economic Activity
• The Grand Banks area off the coasts of
Newfoundland and Nova Scotia was long one
of the world’s richest fishing areas.
• In 1992, Canada suspended Cod fishing due to
overfishing.
• In 1999, many fisherman turned to catching
shrimp and crabs.
Economic Activity Continued…
• Forestry and farming are also important in the
Maritimes.
• Some fruit, vegetable, and dairy farming takes
place where the soil and climate permit.
• Gentle, rolling plains and fertile soil of Prince
Edward Island are particularly well suited to
farming.
• Prince Edward has a mild climate with longer
growing season due to moderating influences of
water.
Recent Economic Activity
• Rugged coastlines and scenic hills make the
region a popular vacation spot. Consequently,
many in the Atlantic Provinces are turning to
tourism for their livelihoods.
• Offshore oil discoveries drawing workers in.
• Atlantic Provinces has rebounded after 90s
slump.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence
Provinces
• In contrast to Atlantic Provinces, the Great Lakes
and the St. Lawrence River are the core of
Canada’s population and its economic activity.
Continued…
• The large provinces of Quebec and Ontario are
the heartland of Canada.
– Distinguished by
• The Canadian Shield
• The Hudson Bay Lowlands
• The St. Lawrence Lowlands
• Canadian Shield
Continued…
– Poor Soil and cold climate but contains rich mineral
deposits.
– Covers most of Quebec and Ontario.
• Hudson Bay Lowlands
– Flat, sparsely populated, swampy region between the
Canadian Shield and Hudson Bay.
• St. Lawrence Lowlands
– Third of the landscapes have rich soil and relatively mild
climate. 60% of Canada’s population lives in this region
around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Valley.
Characteristics of Ontario
• One of the most important features, system of
waterways.
• The St. Lawrence Seaway (Canada’s highway
to the sea), which connects the Great Lakes to
the St. Lawrence River, has a high volume of
goods that travels its length.
Ontario continued…
• Great Lakes differ in elevation.
– Lake Superior is the Highest (600 ft.) above Sea Level.
– Lake Ontario is the Lowest (245 ft.) above Sea Level.
• To make up this difference, the Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence waterway system has a series of locks.
– A lock is an enclosed area on a canal that raises or
lowers ships from one water level to another.
Ontario Continued…
• In addition to the waterways, Ontario also has
rich soil and abundant mineral resources.
• Much of the land in the southeastern part of
the province is used for farming.
– Most people live in this specific part.
• Due to province’s location, industries based on
processing minerals or manufacturing goods can
easily ship their products to other parts of Canada
and the U.S..
• Toronto, Ontario’s capital, is the largest
metropolitan area in Canada.
• Ottawa (Canada’s capital) is located on the Ottawa
River in southeastern Ontario.
Characteristics of Quebec
• Canada’s largest province in terms of area.
• Pop. not evenly distributed, most live in cities
in and around the St. Lawrence River valley.
• Few People live on the Canadian Shield
(exposed bedrock area).
– Bedrock is a solid rock that is usually covered by
soil, gravel, and sand.
Quebec continued…
• Appalachian Mountains rise along the
southeastern border of the province.
• Both of these regions, the southeast and the
Canadian Shield, are centers of mining and
forestry.
• Farming remains an important activity in the
fertile plains of the St. Lawrence Valley.
• The capital of the province, is also called Quebec
(oldest city in Canada).
– Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain (sent by
France to establish a colony).
The Prairie Provinces
• Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan lie in
southwestern Canada between the Rocky
Mountains and the Canadian Shield.
• Long been associated with rolling fields of
wheat.
Patterns of Settlement
• Half or more of the people in each of the
three Prairie Provinces live in cities.
– Winnipeg (largest) strategically built along railroad
tracks of the 1800s.
– Prairie Provinces have been described as a region
where “grains and trains dominate life.”
Economic Activities
• Prairie Provinces provide most of Canada’s
grain and cattle.
• Wheat is the major agricultural crop (exported
by train to ports on the Pacific Ocean, Great
Lakes or Hudson Bay).
• Tourism is also an important economic activity
in many of the region’s magnificent parks.
• Oil discoveries in Alberta has provided a new
source of wealth for the region.
British Columbia
• Plentiful natural resources has helped British
Columbia become one of Canada’s wealthiest
provinces.
– Salmon
– Forests
– Minerals
• Vancouver, the province’s largest city, occupies a
site by an excellent harbor.
The Northern Territories
• The northern 40% of Canada consists of the
Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and
Nunavut (Canada’s newest territory, est. in
1999).
• Together, they are home to fewer than 1% of
Canada’s population.