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More information on Urban core, urban fringe and rural fringe
Censuses:
2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971, 1966, 1961
Remarks:
While every CMA and CA has an urban core, it may or may not have a secondary urban core, an urban fringe or a rural fringe. See Figure 31.
Figure 31 Example of a census metropolitan area or a census agglomeration, showing urban core, secondary urban core, urban fringe and rural fringe
Counts of urban population include all population living in urban cores, secondary urban cores and urban fringes, as well as the population living in urban areas outside CMAs and CAs. Counts of rural population include all population living in rural fringes, as well as the population living in rural areas outside CMAs and CAs.
Refer to related definitions of census metropolitan area (CMA) and census agglomeration (CA); rural area (RA) and urban area (UA).
Changes prior to the current census:
Beginning in 2001, the concept of the secondary urban core was used to describe the urban core of a CA that merged with an adjacent CMA or larger CA.
Beginning in 1996, the term 'urban core' replaced the term 'urbanized core'. The term 'urbanized core' was used from 1971 to 1991.
Prior to 1996, this concept was known as 'CMA/CA parts'.
Beginning in 1986, primary CMAs (PCMAs) and primary CAs (PCAs) were delineated within some CMAs and CAs. Because of this change, some urban areas that were urban fringes of 1981 CMAs or CAs became urban cores of 1986 PCMAs or PCAs.
For 1976 and 1971, the urbanized core was further broken down into the 'largest city' and 'remainder'.
For 1966 and 1961, the urban part of the CMA was divided into the 'metropolitan area – urban' (continuous built-up area) and the 'metropolitan area – outside urban' (non-continuous built-up area); the remaining rural part was known as 'metropolitan area – rural'.
