This downloadable data product includes the federal boundary files from the most recent census year. The official boundaries are updated every 5 years with the census and should be considered the most recent official boundaries. Layers in each geodatabase include Economic Regions, Census Divisions, Census Subdivisions, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, Census Tracts, and Dissemination Areas. The current boundaries are from the 2021 Census of population. For intercensal boundaries, please see the intercensus boundary record. This information is adapted from Statistics Canada, Boundary files in their respective years. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

This service shows the percentage of population, excluding institutional residents, with knowledge of English and French for Canada by 2016 census division. The data is from the Census Profile, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.Knowledge of official languages refers to whether the person can conduct a conversation in English only, French only, in both languages or in neither language. For a child who has not yet learned to speak, this includes languages that the child is learning to speak at home. For additional information refer to 'Knowledge of official languages' in the 2016 Census Dictionary.For additional information refer to 'Knowledge of official languages' in the 2016 Census Dictionary.To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census division” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

This service shows the ratio of immigrants who arrived between 2001 and 2016 to immigrants who arrived before 2001, by 2016 census division. The data is a custom extraction from the 2016 Census - 25% sample data.This data pertains to persons in private households who are immigrants by their period of immigration. 'Immigrant' includes persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents. Such persons have been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this category. In the 2016 Census of Population, 'Immigrant' includes immigrants who landed in Canada on or prior to May 10, 2016. 'Period of immigration' refers to the period in which the immigrant first obtained landed immigrant or permanent resident status. For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for 'Immigrant status' and 'Period of immigration'.For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for 'Immigrant status' and 'Period of immigration'.To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census division” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

This service shows the ratio of immigrants who arrived between 2001 and 2016 to immigrants who arrived before 2001, by census subdivision, 2016. The data is a custom extraction from the 2016 Census - 25% sample data.This data pertains to persons in private households who are immigrants by their period of immigration. 'Immigrant' includes persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents. Such persons have been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this category. In the 2016 Census of Population, 'Immigrant' includes immigrants who landed in Canada on or prior to May 10, 2016. 'Period of immigration' refers to the period in which the immigrant first obtained landed immigrant or permanent resident status. For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for 'Immigrant status' and 'Period of immigration'.For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for 'Immigrant status' and 'Period of immigration'.To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census subdivision” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

This service shows the percentage of population, excluding institutional residents, with knowledge of English and French for Canada by 2016 census subdivision. The data is from the Census Profile, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.Knowledge of official languages refers to whether the person can conduct a conversation in English only, French only, in both languages or in neither language. For a child who has not yet learned to speak, this includes languages that the child is learning to speak at home. For additional information refer to 'Knowledge of official languages' in the 2016 Census Dictionary.For additional information refer to 'Knowledge of official languages' in the 2016 Census Dictionary.To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census subdivision” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

The 2021 Census Boundary Files depict the boundaries of all standard geographic areas established for the purpose of disseminating census data. They contain information such as unique identifier (UID), name and type where applicable, as well as land area and province or territory unique identifier (PRUID). Each boundary file can be linked to all higher level geographic areas using its DGUID and the new 2021 Dissemination Geographies Relationship File.They are available for download or viewing in two types: cartographic and digital. Both cartographic and digital boundary files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]).The purpose of the 2021 Census Boundary Files is to provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis, and to support Geographic Information System (GIS) applications used for land use and demographic studies, or social, economic and market research. Geographic unique identifiers permit linkage of statistical data to geographic areas depicted in the boundary files. Boundary files can also be used to create new geographic areas by combining standard geographic areas.The boundary files are positionally consistent with the 2021 Road Network File, which provides additional reference for geographic context for mapping applications.Each 2021 Census Boundary File contains the UID, DGUID, name and type where applicable, and land area of the geographic level the file represents. It also contains the PRUID. A 2021 Census Boundary File is available for each of the following geographic areas:• Provinces and territories (PRs)• Census divisions (CDs)• Federal electoral districts (2013 Representation Order) (FEDs)• Census subdivisions (CSDs)• Designated places (DPLs)• Economic regions (ERs)• Census agricultural regions (CARs)• Census consolidated subdivisions (CCSs)• Census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (CMA/CAs)• Census tracts (CTs)• Population centres (POPCTRs)• Dissemination areas (DAs)• Dissemination blocks (DBs)• Aggregate dissemination areas (ADAs)• Census Forward Sortation Areas© (CFSAs©)• Population Ecumene

A population ecumene is the area of inhabited lands or settled areas generally delimited by a minimum population density. This ecumene shows the areas of the densest and most extended population within census subdivisions. A census subdivision (CSD) is the general term for municipalities (as determined by provincial or territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (e.g., Indigenous Peoples reserves and communities and unorganized territories). Municipal status is defined by laws in effect in each province and territory in Canada. For further information, consult the Statistics Canada’s 2016 Illustrated Glossary (see below under Data Resources).The assemblage of dissemination block population density data from the 2016 Census of Population are used to form the ecumene areas within census subdivisions. Areas included in the ecumene are dissemination blocks where the population density is greater than or equal to 0.4 persons per square kilometre or about one person per square mile. In some areas to capture more population within the ecumene the criteria was extended to 0.2 persons per square kilometre. The ecumene areas were generalized in certain areas to remove small uninhabited areas within the ecumene areas in census subdivisions.This map can be used as an “ecumene” overlay to differentiate the sparsely populated areas from the ecumene in conjunction with census subdivision data or other large-scale maps. This ecumene shows a more meaningful distribution of the population for Canada.

This downloadable data product includes the federal boundary files from previous census years. Data included are the historical boundary files of the year indicated and should not be considered the most recent official boundaries. Layers in each geodatabase include Economic Regions, Census Divisions, Census Subdivisions, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, Census Tracts, and Disseminations. Current years for the historical dataset include 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016. This information is adapted from Statistics Canada, Boundary files in their respective years. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Reference maps illustrate the location of census standard geographic areas for which census statistical data are tabulated and disseminated. The maps display the boundaries, names and unique identifiers of standard geographic areas, as well as physical features such as streets, railroads, coastlines, rivers and lakes. Reference maps include:Standard Geographical Classification (SGC)Census tractsFederal electoral districts

A population ecumene is the area of inhabited lands or settled areas generally delimited by a minimum population density. This ecumene shows the areas of the densest and most extended population within census divisions. Census divisions are the provincially legislated areas (such as county, municipalité régionale de comté, and regional district) or their equivalents. Census divisions are intermediate geographic areas between the province or territory level and the municipality (census subdivision). For further information, consult the Statistics Canada’s 2016 Illustrated Glossary (see below under Data Resources).The assemblage of dissemination area population density data from the 2016 Census of Population are used to form the ecumene within census divisions. Areas included in the ecumene are dissemination areas where the population density is greater than or equal to 0.4 persons per square kilometre or about one person per square mile. In some areas to capture more population within the ecumene the criteria was extended to 0.2 persons per square kilometre. The ecumene areas were generalized in certain areas to enhance the size of some isolated ecumene areas in northern Canada.This map can be used as an “ecumene” overlay to differentiate the sparsely populated areas from the ecumene in conjunction with census division data or other small-scale maps. This ecumene shows a more meaningful distribution of the population for Canada.