Guide to the Labour Force Survey
Appendix A: Sub-provincial geography descriptions

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Labour market information from the LFS is available for a variety of geographic levels. While designed to provide highly reliable data at the national and provincial levels, key labour market estimates are also available for census metropolitan areas, economic regions and employment insurance economic regions.

Census metropolitan area (CMA)

A CMA is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000, of which 50,000 or more must live in the core.

The CMAs are based on the 2011 Standard Geographical Classification (SGC). Below is a list of the 33 CMAs and their associated census subdivisions. Please note that Indian reserves, although geographically part of certain CMAs, are excluded from the LFS.

Labour Force Survey estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer periods of time. Estimates for smaller geographic areas also have more variability. For an explanation of sampling variability of estimates and how to use standard errors to assess this variability, see Section 7 of this publication.

See the geographical maps for the CMAs on the LFS survey page for more information.

St. John’s: Bauline, Bay Bulls, Conception Bay South, Flatrock, Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, Mount Pearl, Paradise, Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Pouch Cove, St. John’s, Torbay, Witless Bay.

Halifax: Halifax.

Moncton: Coverdale, Dieppe, Dorchester (parish), Dorchester (village), Elgin, Hillsborough (parish), Hillsborough (village), Memramcook, Moncton (city), Moncton (parish), Riverview, Saint-Paul, Salisbury.

Saint John: Grand Bay-Westfield, Greenwich, Hampton (parish), Hampton (town), Kingston, Lepreau, Musquash, Petersville, Quispamsis, Rothesay (parish), Rothesay (town), Saint John, Saint Martins, Simonds, St. Martins, Upham, Westfield.

Saguenay: Larouche, Saguenay, Saint-Charles-de-Bourget, Saint-David-de-Falardeau, Saint-Félix-d’Otis, Saint-Fulgence, Saint-Honoré, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord.

Québec: Beaumont, Boischatel, Château-Richer, Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Lac-Beauport, Lac-Delage, Lac-Saint-Joseph, L’Ancienne-Lorette, L’Ange-Gardien, Lévis, Neuville, Notre-Dame-des-Anges, Québec, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Sainte-Famille, Sainte-Pétronille, Saint-François-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Saint-Henri, Saint-Jean-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Saint-Laurent-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, Saint-Pierre-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, Shannon, Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury.

Sherbrooke: Ascot Corner, Compton, Hatley, Magog, North Hatley, Orford, Saint-Denis-de-Brompton, Sherbrooke, Stoke, Val-Joli, Waterville.

Trois-Rivières: Bécancour, Champlain, Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes, Saint-Maurice, Trois-Rivières, Yamachiche.

Montréal: Baie-D’Urfé, Beaconsfield, Beauharnois, Beloeil, Blainville, Boisbriand, Bois-des-Filion, Boucherville, Brossard, Candiac, Carignan, Chambly, Charlemagne, Châteauguay, Coteau-du-Lac, Côte-Saint-Luc, Delson, Deux-Montagnes, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Dorval, Gore, Hampstead, Hudson, Kirkland, La Prairie, L’Assomption, Laval, Lavaltrie, L’Épiphanie (parish), L’Épiphanie (town), Léry, Les Cèdres, Les Coteaux, L’Île-Cadieux, L’Île-Dorval, L’Île-Perrot, Longueuil, Lorraine, Mascouche, McMasterville, Mercier, Mirabel, Montréal, Montréal-Est, Montréal-Ouest, Mont-Royal, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Oka, Otterburn Park, Pincourt, Pointe-Calumet, Pointe-Claire, Pointe-des-Cascades, Repentigny, Richelieu, Rosemère, Saint-Amable, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Saint-Colomban, Saint-Constant, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Sainte-Catherine, Sainte-Julie, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Sainte-Thérèse, Saint-Eustache, Saint-Isidore, Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Saint-Lambert, Saint-Lazare, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Mathieu, Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Saint-Philippe, Saint-Placide, Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Zotique, Senneville, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Terrebonne, Varennes, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, Verchères, Westmount.

Ottawa–Gatineau: Bowman, Cantley, Chelsea, Clarence-Rockland, Denholm, Gatineau, La Pêche, L’Ange-Gardien, Mayo, Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Ottawa, Pontiac, Russell, Val-des-Bois, Val-des-Monts.

Ottawa–Gatineau (Quebec part): Bowman, Cantley, Chelsea, Denholm, Gatineau, La Pêche, L’Ange-Gardien, Mayo, Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Pontiac, Val-des-Bois, Val-des-Monts.

Ottawa–Gatineau (Ontario part): Clarence-Rockland, Ottawa, Russell.

Kingston: Frontenac Islands, Kingston, Loyalist, South Frontenac.

Peterborough: Cavan-Monaghan, Douro-Dummer, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Peterborough, Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield.

Oshawa: Clarington, Oshawa, Whitby.

Toronto: Ajax, Aurora, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Brampton, Caledon, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Halton Hills, King, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Mono, New Tecumseth, Newmarket, Oakville, Orangeville, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Toronto, Uxbridge, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Hamilton: Burlington, Grimsby, Hamilton.

St. Catharines–Niagara: Fort Erie, Lincoln, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham, Port Colborne, St. Catharines, Thorold, Wainfleet, Welland.

Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo: Cambridge, Kitchener, North Dumfries, Waterloo, Woolwich.

Brantford: Brant, Brantford.

Guelph: Guelph, Guelph/Eramosa, Puslinch.

London: Adelaide-Metcalfe, Central Elgin, London, Middlesex Centre, Southwold, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, Thames Centre.

Windsor: Amherstburg, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Tecumseh, Windsor.

Barrie: Barrie, Innisfil, Springwater.

Greater Sudbury: Greater Sudbury.

Thunder Bay: Conmee, Gillies, Neebing, O’Connor, Oliver Paipoonge, Shuniah, Thunder Bay.

Winnipeg: East St. Paul, Headingley, Macdonald, Ritchot, Rosser, Springfield, St. Clements, St. François Xavier, Taché, West St. Paul, Winnipeg.

Regina: Balgonie, Belle Plaine, Buena Vista, Disley, Edenwold, Edenwold No. 158, Grand Coulee, Lumsden, Lumsden Beach, Lumsden No. 189, Pense, Pense No. 160, Pilot Butte, Regina, Regina Beach, Sherwood No. 159, White City.

Saskatoon: Allan, Asquith, Blucher No. 343, Bradwell, Clavet, Colonsay, Colonsay No. 342, Corman Park No. 344, Dalmeny, Delisle, Dundurn, Dundurn No. 314, Elstow, Langham, Martensville, Meacham, Osler, Saskatoon, Shields, Thode, Vanscoy, Vanscoy No. 345, Warman.

Calgary: Airdrie, Beiseker, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, Irricana, Rocky View County.

Edmonton: Beaumont, Betula Beach, Bon Accord, Bruderheim, Calmar, Devon, Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Gibbons, Golden Days, Itaska Beach, Kapasiwin, Lakeview, Leduc, Leduc County, Legal, Morinville, Parkland County, Point Alison, Redwater, Seba Beach, Spring Lake, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Stony Plain, Strathcona County, Sturgeon County, Sundance Beach, Thorsby, Wabamun, Warburg.

Kelowna: Central Okanagan, Central Okanagan J, Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, West Kelowna.

Abbotsford–Mission: Abbotsford, Mission.

Vancouver: Anmore, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Greater Vancouver A, Langley (city), Langley (district municipality), Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver (city), North Vancouver (district municipality), Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, White Rock.

Victoria: Capital H (Part 1), Central Saanich, Colwood, Esquimalt, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria, View Royal.

Economic region (ER)

An economic region is a grouping of complete census divisions (with one exception in Ontario) created as a standard geographic unit for analysis of regional economic activity. In the case of Prince Edward Island, the province constitutes one economic region.

The composition of economic regions is determined through a consultative process with the provinces, except for Quebec, where economic regions (régions administratives) are designated by law.

The current boundaries are based on the 2011 Standard Geographical Classification (SGC). Excluding the territories, the LFS publishes estimates for 66 ERs, seven of which are combined for data quality purposes.

Labour Force Survey estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer periods of time. Estimates for smaller geographic areas also have more variability. For an explanation of sampling variability of estimates and how to use standard errors to assess this variability, see Section 7 of this publication.

See the geographical maps for the economic regions on the LFS survey page for more information.

Brief descriptions of the economic regions currently used and their associated census divisions are provided below.

Newfoundland and Labrador
1010
Avalon Peninsula: Division No. 1.
1020 and 1040
South Coast–Burin Peninsula and Notre Dame–Central Bonavista Bay: Division No. 2, Division No. 3, Division No. 6, Division No. 7, and Division No. 8.
1030
West Coast–Northern Peninsula–Labrador: Division No. 4, Division No. 5, Division No. 9, Division No. 10, and Division No. 11.

Prince Edward Island
1110
Prince Edward Island: Kings, Queens and Prince.

Nova Scotia
1210
Cape Breton: Inverness, Richmond, Cape Breton, and Victoria.
1220
North Shore: Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou, Guysborough, and Antigonish.
1230
Annapolis Valley: Annapolis, Kings and Hants.
1240
Southern: Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Queens, and Lunenburg.
1250
Halifax: Halifax.

New Brunswick
1310
Campbellton–Miramichi: Northumberland, Restigouche and Gloucester.
1320
Moncton–Richibucto: Albert, Westmorland and Kent.
1330
Saint John–St. Stephen: Saint John, Charlotte and Kings.
1340
Fredericton–Oromocto: Sunbury, Queens and York.
1350
Edmundston–Woodstock: Carleton, Victoria and Madawaska.

Quebec
2410
Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine: Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Le Rocher-Percé, La Côte-de-Gaspé, La Haute-Gaspésie, Bonaventure, and Avignon.
2415
Bas-Saint-Laurent: La Matapédia, Matane, La Mitis, Rimouski-Neigette, Les Basques, Rivière-du-Loup, Témiscouata, and Kamouraska.
2420
Capitale-Nationale: Charlevoix- Est, Charlevoix, L’Île-d’Orléans, La Côte-de-Beaupré, La Jacques-Cartier, Québec, and Portneuf.
2425
Chaudière-Appalaches: L’Islet, Montmagny, Bellechasse, Lévis, La Nouvelle-Beauce, Robert-Cliche, Les Etchemins, Beauce-Sartigan, Les Appalaches, and Lotbinière.
2430
Estrie: Le Granit, Les Sources, Le Haut-Saint-François, Le Val-Saint-François, Sherbrooke, Coaticook, and Memphrémagog.
2433
Centre-du-Québec: L’Érable, Bécancour, Arthabaska, Drummond, and Nicolet-Yamaska.
2435
Montérégie: Brome-Missisquoi, La Haute-Yamaska, Acton, Pierre-De Saurel, Les Maskoutains, Rouville, Le Haut-Richelieu, La Vallée-du-Richelieu, Longueuil, Lajemmerais, Roussillon, Les Jardins-de-Napierville, Le Haut-Saint-Laurent, Beauharnois-Salaberry, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
2440
Montréal: Montréal.
2445
Laval: Laval.
2450
Lanaudière: D’Autray, L’Assomption, Joliette, Matawinie, Montcalm, and Les Moulins.
2455
Laurentides: Deux-Montagnes, Thérèse-De Blainville, Mirabel, La Rivière-du-Nord, Argenteuil, Les Pays-d’en-Haut, Les Laurentides, and Antoine-Labelle.
2460
Outaouais: Papineau, Gatineau, Les Collines-de-l’Outaouais, La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, and Pontiac.
2465
Abitibi-Témiscamingue: Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi-Ouest, Abitibi, and La Vallée-de-l’Or.
2470
Mauricie: Mékinac, Shawinigan, Francheville, Maskinongé, and La Tuque.
2475
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: Le Domaine-du-Roy, Maria-Chapdelaine, Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, and Le Saguenay-et-son-Fjord.
2480 and 2490
Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec: La Haute-Côte-Nord, Manicouagan, Sept-Rivières–Caniapiscau, Minganie–Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, and Nord-du-Québec.

Ontario
3510
Ottawa: Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry; Prescott and Russell; Ottawa; Leeds and Grenville; and Lanark.
3515
Kingston–Pembroke: Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, Hastings, Prince Edward, and Renfrew.
3520
Muskoka–Kawarthas: Northumberland, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Muskoka, and Haliburton.
3530
Toronto: Durham, York, Toronto, Peel, and Halton (Toronto part).
3540
Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie: Dufferin, Wellington, Waterloo, and Simcoe.
3550
Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula: Halton (Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula part), Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk, and Brant.
3560
London: Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex.
3570
Windsor–Sarnia: Chatham-Kent, Essex and Lambton.
3580
Stratford–Bruce Peninsula: Perth, Huron, Bruce, and Grey.
3590
Northeast: Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, and Algoma.
3595
Northwest: Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora.

Manitoba
4610
Southeast: Division No. 1, Division No. 2 and Division no. 12.
4620 and 4640
South Central and North Central: Division No. 3, Division No. 4, Division No. 8, Division No. 9, and Division No. 10.
4630
Southwest: Division No. 5, Division No. 6, Division No. 7, and Division No. 15.
4650
Winnipeg: Division No. 11.
4660
Interlake: Division No. 13, Division No. 14 and Division No. 18.
4670 and 4680
Parklands and North: Division No. 16, Division No. 17, Division No. 19, Division No. 20, Division No. 21, Division No. 22, and Division No. 23.

Saskatchewan
4710
Regina–Moose Mountain: Division No. 1, Division No. 2 and Division No. 6.
4720
Swift Current–Moose Jaw: Division No. 3, Division No. 4, Division No. 7, and Division No. 8.
4730
Saskatoon–Biggar: Division No. 11, Division No. 12 and Division No. 13.
4740
Yorkton–Melville: Division No. 5, Division No. 9 and Division No. 10.
4750 and 4760
Prince Albert and Northern: Division No. 14, Division No. 15, Division No. 16, Division No. 17, and Division No. 18.

Alberta
4810
Lethbridge–Medicine Hat: Division No. 1, Division No. 2 and Division No. 3.
4820
Camrose–Drumheller: Division No. 4, Division No. 5, Division No. 7, and Division No. 10.
4830
Calgary: Division No. 6.
4840 and 4870
Banff–Jasper–Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca–Grande Prairie–Peace River: Division No. 9, Division No. 13, Division No. 14, Division No. 15, Division No. 17, Division No. 18, and Division No. 19.
4850
Red Deer: Division No. 8.
4860
Edmonton: Division No. 11.
4880
Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake: Division No. 12 and Division No. 16.

British Columbia
5910
Vancouver Island and Coast: Capital, Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Alberni-Clayoquot, Strathcona, Comox Valley, Powell River, Mount Waddington, and Central Coast.
5920
Lower Mainland–Southwest: Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver, Sunshine Coast, and Squamish-Lillooet.
5930
Thompson–Okanagan: Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola, Central Okanagan, North Okanagan, and Columbia-Shuswap.
5940
Kootenay: East Kootenay, Central Kootenay and Kootenay Boundary.
5950
Cariboo: Cariboo and Fraser-Fort George.
5960 and 5970
North Coast and Nechako: Skeena-Queen Charlotte, Kitimat-Stikine, Bulkley-Nechako, and Stikine.
5980
Northeast: Peace River and Northern Rockies.

Employment insurance economic region (EIER)

In compliance with the Employment Insurance Act, the Labour Force Survey publishes seasonally adjusted, three-month moving average unemployment rates for employment insurance economic regions (EIERs). These rates are generally used to determine eligibility, benefit entitlement and weekly amount of benefits for persons living within a particular EIER.

The boundaries of these regions are determined by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and are currently based on 1996 Census boundaries, with the exception of those in Prince Edward Island and in the territories, which respect the 2011 Census boundaries.

For geographic descriptions and maps of employment insurance economic regions, see the ESDC website.

The employment insurance economic regions are outlined below by province.

Newfoundland and Labrador

01. St. John’s; 02. Newfoundland and Labrador.

Prince Edward Island

65. Charlottetown; 66. Prince Edward Island.

Nova Scotia

04. Eastern Nova Scotia; 05. Western Nova Scotia; 06. Halifax.

New Brunswick

07. Fredericton–Moncton–Saint John; 08. Madawaska–Charlotte; 09. Restigouche–Albert.

Quebec

10. Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine; 11. Quebec; 12. Trois-Rivières; 13. South Central Quebec; 14. Sherbrooke; 15. Montérégie; 16. Montreal; 17. Central Quebec; 18. North Western Quebec; 19. Lower Saint Lawrence and North Shore; 20. Hull; 21. Chicoutimi–Jonquière.

Ontario

22. Ottawa; 23. Eastern Ontario; 24. Kingston; 25. Central Ontario; 26. Oshawa; 27. Toronto; 28. Hamilton; 29. St. Catharines; 30. London; 31. Niagara; 32. Windsor; 33. Kitchener; 34. Huron; 35. South Central Ontario; 36. Sudbury; 37. Thunder Bay; 38. Northern Ontario.

Manitoba

39. Winnipeg; 40. Southern Manitoba; 41. Northern Manitoba.

Saskatchewan

42. Regina; 43. Saskatoon; 44. Southern Saskatchewan; 45. Northern Saskatchewan.

Alberta

46. Calgary; 47. Edmonton; 48. Northern Alberta; 49. Southern Alberta.

British Columbia

50. Southern Interior British Columbia; 51. Abbotsford; 52. Vancouver; 53. Victoria; 54. Southern Coastal British Columbia; 55. Northern British Columbia.

Yukon

59. Whitehorse; 60. Yukon (excluding Whitehorse).

Northwest Territories

61. Yellowknife; 62. Northwest Territories (excluding Yellowknife).

Nunavut

63. Iqaluit; 64. Nunavut (excluding Iqaluit).

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