Regions of Canada & Associated Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering Canada’s six geographic regions, key demographic and economic facts, major national faultlines, and core/periphery theory concepts.

Geographic Region (Canada)

A large spatial unit distinguished by core physical and human characteristics that set it apart from adjacent areas.

Regional Identity

The strong sense of place and shared characteristics felt by people living within a geographic region.

Transition Zone

The area where the core characteristics of one region gradually merge with those of a neighbouring region.

Atlantic Canada

One of Canada’s six regions; small in area and population, it has a declining resource base and represents 6.6 % of Canada’s population (2016).

Quebec (Region)

French-speaking core region of Canada, home to 23 % of the population (2016) and major hydroelectric resources.

Ontario (Region)

Manufacturing core of Canada, holding 38.5 % of the national population and 37.8 % of GDP (2016).

Western Canada

Prairie provinces plus Manitoba; resource-rich, rapidly growing region with 18.5 % of Canada’s population and 24.7 % of GDP (2016).

British Columbia (Region)

Pacific-oriented region with growing resource base and 13.1 % of Canada’s population (2016).

Territorial North

Canada’s resource frontier; vast (39 % of area) but sparsely populated (0.3 % of population, 2016).

Economic Anchor

The dominant economic activity around which each Canadian region’s economy revolves.

Faultline (Canadian Context)

A social, economic, or political crack that divides regions and can threaten national unity.

Regional Faultline

Division stemming from disputes over resources and perceived federal favouritism toward Central Canada; linked to Western alienation.

Quebec Faultline

Tension arising from Quebec’s francophone identity and concerns over language, culture, and provincial autonomy.

Indigenous Minority Faultline

Division rooted in historical marginalization of Indigenous peoples and ongoing efforts toward reconciliation.

Immigration Faultline

Challenges and debates surrounding how Canada accommodates newcomers, costs of settlement, and cultural integration.

Compromise (Canadian Politics)

The practice of balancing regional and cultural interests to maintain national unity—seen as Canada’s defining political trait.

Soft Country

Label given to Canada for its reliance on compromise rather than confrontation to resolve internal disputes.

Core/Periphery Model

Theory stating capitalist economies create uneven regional development, producing a dominant core and dependent peripheries.

Core Region (Canada)

Ontario and Quebec; manufacturing-oriented heart of the Canadian economy.

Rapidly Growing Region

British Columbia and Western Canada; expanding resource base and increasing economic influence.

Slow Growing Region

Atlantic Canada; characterized by a declining resource base and slower economic growth.

Resource Frontier

The Territorial North; an area with abundant resources, few of which are currently economically viable.

Continentalism

Canada’s close trade relationship with the United States, offering market access but creating dependency risks.

Official Languages Act (1974)

Federal law affirming English and French as Canada’s official languages, central to the Quebec faultline.

Bill 21 (2019)

Quebec legislation restricting public employees from wearing religious symbols, tied to debates on secularism and immigration.

Indian Act

Federal statute historically controlling many aspects of Indigenous life; amendments have gradually lifted some constraints.

Reconciliation

Contemporary effort to build respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples after past policies of assimilation.

Western Alienation

Feeling among Western provinces that federal policies favour Central Canada at their expense.

Hydroelectric Resources (Quebec)

Abundant water-power that enables Quebec to pursue aggressive carbon-reduction goals.

Statistical Region Utility

Using regions to facilitate data collection and comparison across Canada’s diverse areas.

Knowledge-Based Economy

Economic future centred on information, technology, and innovation rather than primary resources.

Resource Economy Revival

Potential return to growth driven by extraction and export of natural resources in Canada.