Settlement Patterns

Settlement Patterns Chapter 16

Introduction • Canada’s population is not distributed evenly across Canada. • Settlement patterns in Canada vary enormously – form large cities to rural areas.

Population Distribution • Pop. Distribution – the pattern of where people live in a region or country. • Two types • Dispersed – people are spread out, example: in an agricultural area • Concentrated – people are close together, example: in a city • Linear concentrated patterns exist when populations are concentrated in a line, example: along a major highway.

Population Density vs. Distribution • Pop. Density measures how many people per square kilometer of land. • Pop. Distribution looks at the patterns. Same population density but different distributions

Population Density of Canada

Population Distribution of Canada

Types of Settlement Patterns • Rural – settlement outside of cities and towns, low pop. density and dispersed distribution • Urban – settlement in cities and towns, high pop. density and concentrated distribution

Rural Settlement • Three rural settlement patterns • Long lots of Southern Quebec • Concession in Southern Ontario • Section system on the Prairies • The patterns are effected by three factors • The resources found in the area • The transportation methods that were available at the time of original settlement • The role that the government played

Long Lots of Southern Quebec • Area was settled before the development of the railway • Transport was by mainly water • Major agricultural resources • Long thin strips of land (long lots) were built along the St. Lawrence River since they needed access to the river for transport.

Concession System of Southern Ontario • Major agricultural resources • Roads and later railway transportation was available • Roads were built on a grid system

Section System of the Southern Prairies • This area was surveyed, using the section system, before any settlement took place • Section system • Land was divided into blocks that were 9.6 km by 9.6 km (92 square kilometers in area) • Each block of land was divided in to 36 sections • Each section was then divided into 4 lots called quarter sections • Originally each land owner had one quarter section, however in order to be successful they soon realized that they would need to acquire more land

Urban Settlement Patterns • After the Agricultural Revolution there was a surplus of food therefore not everyone needed to farm • Instead specialized jobs became more prevalent, example milling grain • It made sense for job specialist to live in one area, hence a city formed • Goods and services in the cities are traded for agricultural products from the surrounding areas • The area that a city trades with is called its hinterland

Distance Between Cities • Determined by two factors • Population density – low density = towns that are far apart • Transportation – if main mode of transport was walking then towns would need to be closer together.

Services in Urban Areas • Services = market paces, government, churches, etc. • The minimum number of people to support an urban service is called the threshold population • Low order good or service – small threshold pop. Example post office • High order good or service – large threshold pop. Example university

Urban Places • While the original reason for a city was the provision of goods and services there are other reasons for cities today • In order to have a city there needs to be an economic base (enough $$) • Different cities have different ways to make the money needed to support their pop. • The industries that bring $$ into the city are called basic industries • The industries that do not bring $$ in the cities are called non-basic industries

Multiplier Effect • The Multiplier effect states that for every employee of a basic industry three jobs in other industries are created to support that one person. • When you have a basic industry in a town that has 100 employees there is an actual creation of 400 jobs. • For example the employee in the basic industry would need to buy his groceries some where, he may want to join a gym, she may want to get her hair cut, etc.

Types of Cities • Industrial Cities - Sarnia • Transportation Hubs –Thunder Bay • Tourist Cities - Banff • Service Centers - Fredericton • Resource-based Communities – Flin Flon • Diversified Cities - Winnipeg

Global Patterns of Urbanization • 200 years ago only 5% of the worlds population lived in Cities • By 1900 almost 14% lived in cities • The movement of people into urban cities is called urbanization

Urban Growth vs. Urbanization • Urban growth measures the actual number of people living in a city as compared to the number of people that lived there before. • Winnipeg’s urban growth between 1991 and 2001 was 56,059 people • Urbanization refers to the % of a countries population that lives in Urban areas • In 2001, 78.9% of Canada’s pop lived in Urban areas

World Cities

Problem Defining Urban between Different Countries • Different countries use different numbers to describe their urban areas • Canada – more than 1,000 people • Italy – more than 10,000 people • Japan – more than 50,000 people

Urbanization in Canada • In 1867 82% of Canadians lived in rural areas • Today almost 80% of Canadian live in Urban area • This increase is due to many factors • New farming technology – less people required • More jobs available in the manufacturing and service industries

Mega City • Over 10 million inhabitants • There 19 mega cities in the world today

Land Use Patterns • Almost 80% of Canadians live, work, travel, shop, and spend leisure time in cities. • Therefore cities must have the facilities to meet these needs. • All of the facilities fall into six categories • Residential • Transportation • Institutional and Public Buildings • Open Space and Recreational land • Industrial • Commercial

Residential Land Use • All the places where people live • Takes up 40% of developed land • Residential Density – affected by two factors • The value of the land • Age of the development

Transportation Land Use • About 1/3 of the land use in most cities is taken up by roads and highways Commercial Land Use • About 5% of a cities land is used for commercial activities • These activities include the buying and selling of goods and services

Commercial Land Use • There are five main types of commercial uses: • Local Service Centers – Convenience Stores • Neighborhood Plazas and Ribbons – Strip malls • Community Shopping Centers – Malls like ours • Regional Shopping Centers – West Edmonton Mall • Central Business District – Downtown

Industrial Land Use • Most important feature • About 6% of land use in most cities • Four types of industrial land use types • Suburban Business Parks • Suburban industrial Parks • Central Business Districts • Ribbon Industries (see fig. 17-10 p.229)

Other Land Uses • Institutional and Public Buildings – 10% Of Land is used for schools, hospitals, government buildings and churches • Open Space and Recreational Land – 7% of land inside cities is used for this

Factors Affecting Land Use • Land Value • Zoning – laws that control what kind of development can happen and where it can happen • Technology • Climate

Settlement Patterns