The majority of Canada’s population lives in its southern regions. This concentration is a result of environmental, economic, and historical factors that shape settlement distribution across the country.
Favorable Climatic Conditions and Agricultural Potential
Southern Canada experiences milder climatic conditions compared to its northern counterparts. Southern Ontario has a humid continental climate, while coastal southern British Columbia boasts mild and rainy conditions. These temperate conditions contribute to longer growing seasons, which are crucial for agriculture.
The extended frost-free periods in southern regions support productive farming. This agricultural potential has historically attracted and sustained larger populations, creating fertile lands suitable for farming in areas like the Prairies, Quebec, and Southern Ontario.
Economic Opportunities and Infrastructure Development
The concentration of people in Southern Canada has fostered significant economic growth and infrastructure development, creating a self-reinforcing cycle. Major urban centers such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver have emerged as hubs for diverse industries. Toronto, as Canada’s largest city and financial center, reported a GDP of $430.9 billion in 2020, driven by finance, technology, real estate, and media.
Montreal’s economy, with a GDP of $228.7 billion in the same year, is bolstered by aerospace equipment manufacturing and life sciences, while Vancouver, with a GDP of $163.7 billion, serves as a gateway to the Pacific, excelling in international trade, film production, technology, and tourism. These large metropolitan areas are central to Canada’s economic output, with the four largest cities—Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary—accounting for 44% of Canada’s GDP in 2020.
This economic vitality fuels extensive infrastructure development. The Canadian government’s “Investing in Canada Plan” committed over $180 billion over 12 years to infrastructure projects, including public transit, green infrastructure, community facilities, and trade and transportation networks, many of which are concentrated in these populous southern regions. Such investments in transportation networks, utilities, educational institutions, and healthcare services further attract and support larger populations, creating dynamic urban environments that offer a wide array of amenities and employment opportunities.
Cross-Border Connections
Southern Canada’s proximity to the United States plays a substantial role in its demographic patterns. The Canada-U.S. border is the longest in the world, and two out of three Canadians live within 100 km of this border. This geographical relationship facilitates a deeply integrated economic partnership, with approximately $3.6 billion in goods and services crossing the border daily, totaling nearly $1.3 trillion annually. This trade supports millions of jobs in both countries, with 2.3 million Canadian jobs tied to U.S. exports.
The economic ties extend to various sectors, including manufacturing in Southern Ontario and Quebec, which benefits from access to the large U.S. market for industries like automobiles and aeronautics. Furthermore, energy trade is significant, with Canada being a principal source of imported energy for the U.S., including oil, natural gas, and electricity. This cross-border economic activity contributes to job creation and overall opportunities in Canadian border regions, enhancing their attractiveness as places to live. Historically, settlement patterns in Canada were influenced by access to the sea and proximity to U.S. population concentrations, particularly along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence waterway and in southwestern British Columbia.