Where is this?

Ontario

Where is this?

Southern Quebec

Where is this?

Southern Prairies

Rural Settlement Patterns

Canada’s population is NOT evenly distributed throughout the country

Settlement in Canada can be divided into 2 major categories:

1. Urban

2. Rural

-settlement that occurs outside cities and towns

Rural settlement is characterized by:

• Low population density

• dispersed population distribution

The pattern of settlement is affected by 3 key factors:

1. Kind of resources found in the area

2. Transportation methods available at time of settlement

3. Role played by governmental policy

The combination of the these three factors have lead to three distinct settlement patterns in Canada:

• the LONG LOTS of southern Quebec• The CONCESSION SYSTEM of southern Ontario• The SECTION SYSTEM of the Prairies

Long Lots of Southern Quebec

• Developed along waterways

• Settled before survey system implemented

• Long, thin farms• Heritage Law –

owners had to divide land amongst offspring

Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros– Excellent soil conditions– Access to river ways– Narrow – lower taxes– Close to neighbours

Cons– Narrow lots hard to work– Land became small and

unworkable when divided amongst offspring

Concession System in Ontario

• Occurred after survey system was in place

• Based on road and railways – no longer dependent on water

• Concession Roads are parallel to waterway, and side roads are perpendicular

Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros– Excellent soil for

agriculture– Access to roadways– Easier access to land

Cons– Further from

neighbours

Section System in Southern Prairies

• Land was surveyed before settlement occurred

• Land divided into 36 sections and each section divided into 4 quadrants

• A family would get one quadrant – approx. 64ha in size

Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros– Land was well suited for

modern farm machinery

Cons– Soil was less fertile -

needed larger farms– Resulted in farm

consolidation– Some distance between

neighbours

Scattered Settlement

• Settlement within other areas of Canada based on two main reasons.

1. Resource-Based Settlement– settlement a result of a product or resources– these included fishing, forestry, mining, and

recreation – Occurred in Atlantic Maritimes, Boreal Shield,

Boreal Plain, Montane Cordillera, Pacific Maritimes

2. Service-Based Settlement• Often based on transportation• Provides a variety of services which are

needed by people in lightly populated areas• These may included gas stations, motels,

post offices, restaurants

Issues with Rural Areas Today

• Movement towards urbanization

• Movement to commercial farming

• Technology is advancing farming practices

• Fewer services provided within rural regions

• Increased costs for goods and services

• Less rural areas as a result of urbanization

Exit Card

• Would you like to live in a rural area or small town? Explain