Canada’s Regions

Table Of Content

2nd largest country in the world — 10 million km².

Bordered by three oceans:

1. Pacific (West).
2. Atlantic (East).
3. Arctic (North).

Along the southern edge - Canada-United States boundary.

Divided into 5 regions:

1. Atlantic Provinces.
2. Central Canada.
3. Prairie Provinces.
4. West Coast.
5. Northern Territories.

Canada has a population of 34 million (the majority lives in cities).

National Capital - Ottawa

Ottawa was chosen in 1857 by Queen Victoria (great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II).

Located on the Ottawa River.

The 4th largest metropolitan area in Canada.

Home to the National Capital Region (4,700 km²), it preserves natural and historic heritage.

Provinces, Territories & Capitals

Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories.

Atlantic Province

• Newfoundland and Labrador - St. John’s.
• Prince Edward Island - Charlottetown.
• Nova Scotia - Halifax.
• New Brunswick - Fredericton.

Central Canada

• Quebec - Québec City.
• Ontario - Toronto.

Prairie Provinces

• Manitoba - Winnipeg.
• Saskatchewan - Regina.
• Alberta - Edmonton.

West Coast

• British Columbia - Victoria.

North

• Nunavut - Iqaluit.
• Northwest Territories - Yellowknife.
• Yukon Territory - Whitehorse.

The Atlantic Provinces

Newfoundland and Labrador

The most easterly point in North America (has its own time zone).

The oldest colony of the British Empire.

Rich coastal heritage and fisheries.

Key industries: offshore oil/gas, hydro-electric power (Labrador).

Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.)

Smallest province, known for potatoes, red soil, and beaches.

Birthplace of Confederation.

Connected to the mainland by the Confederation Bridge (the longest continuous multispan bridge).

Famous for Anne of Green Gables (a story about the adventures of a little red-headed orphan girl).

Nova Scotia

The most populous Atlantic province (historically the gateway to Canada).

Known for Bay of Fundy tides (world’s highest tides).

Famous for shipbuilding, fisheries, and shipping.

Home to Canada’s largest naval base (Halifax).

Over 700 annual festivals & celebrate Celtic and Gaelic heritage.

New Brunswick

Founded by the United Empire Loyalists.

Has the second-largest river system (St. John River system).

Saint John is the largest city, port, and manufacturing centre.

Only officially bilingual province.

Main industries: forestry, fisheries, agriculture, mining, tourism.

Major cities: Saint John, Moncton, Fredericton.

Central Canada

Quebec

Approximately 8 million people, mostly along the St. Lawrence River (Mostly speak French).

Main producer of pulp and paper.

Canada’s largest producer of hydroelectricity.

Economy: forestry, mining, hydro-electricity, aeronautics, pharmaceuticals.

Montreal:

• The 2nd largest city (major cultural hub in La Francophonie).

• The 2nd largest mainly French-speaking city in the world after Paris.

Ontario

Most populous province (~12 million); One-third of all Canadians.

Toronto - the largest city & country’s main financial centre.

Economy: manufacturing, services, agriculture.

Niagara region - known for its vineyards, wines, and fruit crops.

Ontario has the largest French-speaking population outside Quebec.

There are 5 Great Lakes between Ontario and the United States:

• Lake Ontario.

• Lake Erie.

• Lake Huron.

• Lake Michigan (in the U.S.A).

• Lake Superior (the largest freshwater lake in the world).

The Prairie Provinces

Manitoba

Economy: agriculture, mining, hydroelectric power generation.

Winnipeg is the most populous city.

St. Boniface is the largest Francophone community in Western Canada.

Largest Aboriginal population of any province, strong Ukrainian heritage.

Saskatchewan

Known as the "breadbasket of the world" & “Wheat province”.

The country’s largest producer of grains and oilseeds (40% of arable land in Canada).

Has the world’s richest deposits of Uranium and potash.

Regina is the home to the training academy of the RCMP.

Saskatoon is the largest city and also the headquarters of the mining industry.

Alberta

The most populous Prairie province.

Known for:

• Oil sands and natural gas.

• Cattle ranching and beef production.

• Rocky Mountains and Banff National Park (one of five national parks).

• Dinosaur fossils in the Badlands.

The West Coast

British Columbia (B.C.)

Canada’s westernmost province.

Pacific gateway with Port of Vancouver (Canada’s largest and busiest port).

Major industries: forestry, mining, fishing, wine & fruit (Okanagan Valley).

The most extensive park system in Canada (~600 provincial parks).

Large Asian communities – Chinese & Punjabi are widely spoken.

Victoria - tourist centre and headquarters of the navy’s Pacific fleet.

The Northern Territories

Often referred to as the “Land of the Midnight Sun”.

Yukon

Famous for the 1890s Gold Rush.

Major industries: mining, tourism.

Mount Logan (named in honour of Sir William Logan) - the highest mountain in Canada.

Holds the record for the coldest recorded temperature (-63°C) ever recorded in Canada.

Northwest Territories (NWT)

Created from Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory in 1870.

Yellowknife - “Diamond capital of North America”.

Rich in minerals, oil & gas.

More than half of the population is Aboriginal (Dene, Inuit, Métis).

Home to Mackenzie River (the 2nd longest in North America).

Nunavut

Means “Our Land” in Inuktitut.

Established in 1999 from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories.

The population is about 85% Inuit.

Inuktitut is the official language & first language in schools.

The government operates by consensus (no political parties).

Security in the North

Canadian Rangers - part of the military reserve.

• Patrol the Arctic by snowmobile and ATV.

• Enforce Canadian presence and sovereignty in remote areas.