Census Geography Files

The Canadian Census is conducted by Statistics Canada every 5 years, and provides a statistical portrait of the country and its people. The Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) provides Canadian academic institutions with affordable access to Statistics Canada data files and databases for teaching and research purposes. These digital spatial files describe the shape and location of geographic features such as streets or boundaries. They also show the location for which census data are tabulated and disseminated. The files can be combined with aggregate census data to create maps, charts or perform other types of analysis.

Name	Abbreviation	Population Minimum	Covers all of Canada?	How many in Canada (2016)
Aggregate dissemination area (new)	ADA	5,000	Yes	5,386
Census agglomeration	CA	10,000	No	117
Census division	CD	n/a	Yes	293
Census metropolitan area	CMA	100,000 with 50,000 in core	No	35
Census subdivision	CSD	n/a	Yes	5,162
Census tract	CT	2,500 (usually)	No	5,721
Census consolidated subdivision	CCS	n/a	No	1,768
Designated place	DPL	1,000		1,629
Dissemination area	DA	400	Yes	56,590
Dissemination block	DB	n/a	Yes	489,905
Economic region	ER	n/a	Yes	76
Federal electoral district	FED	n/a	Yes	338
Province or territory	PR	n/a	Yes	13

All the links in the table are from this Illustrated Glossary from Statistics Canada.

Other geographic and water feature files provided by Statistics Canada include:

• Aggregate dissemination areas
• Census agricultural regions
• Census consolidated subdivisions
• Population centres
• Population ecumene
• Lakes and rivers (polygons)
• Rivers (lines)
• Coastal waters (polygons)

The 2011 Illustrated Glossary may be helpful.

2006, 2001	1996, 1991, 1986
Horizontal Geodetic Datum: NAD83 Projection: Geographic Coordinates (Latitude and Longitudes)	Horizontal Geodetic Datum: NAD27 Projection: Geographic Coordinates (Latitude and Longitudes)

Hierarchy of standard geographic units for dissemination, 2011 Census