New criteria for census metropolitan areas

Statistics Canada is revising the threshold criteria used to define census metropolitan areas, effective for the 2006 Census. This decision is part of Statistics Canada's ongoing efforts to ensure that its standard geographic areas remain up-to-date, relevant and meaningful.

In recent years, clients have questioned whether the requirement for an urban core of 100,000 is too restrictive and, as a consequence, excludes census agglomerations that are metropolitan in nature. Recent research shows that total population of a census agglomeration is more predictive of its metropolitan nature than the population of its urban core. In particular, this research shows that once a census agglomeration attains a total population of at least 100,000 it exhibits metropolitan characteristics.

Based on these findings and consultations with stakeholders in the fall of 2002 as part of the 2006 Census content determination process, Statistics Canada will no longer require that a census agglomeration have an urban core of 100,000 to be promoted to the status of a census metropolitan area. Instead, a census agglomeration will assume the status of a census metropolitan area if it has a total population of at least 100,000 and an urban core of 50,000 or more. This change in criteria responds to client requests for a more inclusive approach to defining census metropolitan areas.

Under these revised criteria, two new census metropolitan areas will be added for the 2006 Census: Moncton and Peterborough. Three others - Guelph, Barrie and Kelowna - had already met the old requirement of an urban core of 100,000 based on the 2001 Census results.

Information on methods and data quality available in the Integrated Meta Data Base: survey number 3901.

The research underlying the revised definition of census metropolitan area is outlined in a new working paper titled Reviewing census metropolitan areas (CMA) and census agglomerations (CA) in Canada according to metropolitan functionality (92F0138MIE2003001, free). This paper is now available on Statistics Canada's website. Print copies (92F0138MPE2003001, $10) can be ordered from the nearest Statistics Canada Regional Reference Centre. From the Our products and services page, under Browse our Internet publications, choose Free, then Geography.

For more information about the Geography working paper series, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Geo-Help (613-951-3889; fax: 613-951-0569; geohelp@statcan.gc.ca), Geography Division.