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 product contains 23,887 digitally restored 1971 census enumeration area (EA) boundaries for the 33 census metropolitan areas (CMA) defined by the 2011 census. EAs are the smallest geographical unit for the release of 1971 census statistics. These EA boundaries can be aggregated to the census agglomeration (CA) or the CMA level.The restored EA boundaries also include 1971 population and dwelling statistics. The areas covered by the restored EA polygons account for 61.8% Canada’s total population in 1971. The purpose of the data set is to provide a historical geography in a digital format. It is intended to be used for reference, mapping and for spatial and time series analyses.These boundaries were produced by Statistics Canada, Environment, Energy and Transportation Statistic Division in 2017. The restored 1971 EA boundaries are provided as a single spatial layer. They are also available in Statistics Canada, 2017, “Restoration of the 1971 enumeration area polygons for Canada's largest cities,” Environmental Statistics: Boundary Files, Catalogue no. 16-510-X.

Small area data (SAD) on field crops show seeded and harvested area, yield and production estimates for most principal field crops and some special crops in Canada. Most SAD geographies correspond exactly with the Census Agriculture Region (CAR) limits, excepts for some regions of Quebec (where small areas are defined by provincial administrative boundaries), Saskatchewan (where small areas coincide with census divisions boundaries as of 2017) and British Columbia.For exact correspondence between Census Agricultural Regions (CAR) and Small Area Data (SAD) Regions, see the following link:https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/statistical-programs/document/3401_D2_V2These regions are associated with Statistics Canada estimates on principal field crops available in the following table: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3210000201

This service shows the percentage of population aged 25 to 64 years in private households with a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree by census subdivision, 2016. The data is from the Census Profile, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.This data pertains to the population aged 25 to 64 years in private households by the highest level of education that a person has successfully completed. Persons with a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree includes those with an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma; a college, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma; a university certificate or diploma below bachelor level or a university certificate, diploma or degree at bachelor level or above. For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for ' Highest certificate, diploma or degree'.For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for ' Highest certificate, diploma or degree'. 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.

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.

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.

The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,173 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels.The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,180 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels.The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,180 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels.The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

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