Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016
Census subdivision (CSD)

Release date: November 16, 2016

Definition

Census subdivision (CSD) is the general term for municipalities (as determined by provincial/territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (e.g., Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories). Municipal status is defined by laws in effect in each province and territory in Canada.

Reported in

2016, 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971, 1966, 1961

Remarks

Census subdivision type

Census subdivisions (CSDs) are classified into 53 types according to official designations adopted by provincial/territorial or federal authorities. Two exceptions are 'subdivision of unorganized' (SNO) in Newfoundland and Labrador, and 'subdivision of county municipality' (SC) in Nova Scotia, which are geographic areas created as equivalents for municipalities by Statistics Canada, in cooperation with those provinces, for the purpose of disseminating statistical data.

The census subdivision type accompanies the census subdivision name in order to distinguish CSDs from each other, for example, Balmoral, VL (for the village of Balmoral) and Balmoral, P (for the parish / paroisse (municipalité de) of Balmoral).

Table 1.5 shows CSD types, their abbreviated forms, and their distribution by province and territory.

Table 1.5
Census subdivision types by province and territory, 2016 Census

Table 1.5
Census subdivision types by province and territory, 2016 Census
Table summary
This table displays the results of Census subdivision types by province and territory, 2016 Census. The information is grouped by Census subdivision type (appearing as row headers), Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut (appearing as column headers).
Census subdivision type Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut
Total 5,162 372 112 96 273 1,285 575 229 950 425 737 36 41 31
C – City / Cité 11 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 8 Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
CC – Chartered community 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable
CG – Community government 4 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable
CN – Crown colony / Colonie de la couronne 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
COM – Community 31 Note ...: not applicable 31 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
CT – Canton (municipalité de) 43 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 43 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
CU – Cantons unis (municipalité de) 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
CV – City / Ville 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
CY – City 149 3 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 46 10 17 18 50 1 1 1
DM – District municipality 51 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 51 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
HAM – Hamlet 37 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 2 11 24
ID – Improvement district 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
IGD – Indian government district 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
IM – Island municipality 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
IRI – Indian reserve / Réserve indienne 949 3 4 26 18 27 140 77 165 75 412 Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable
LGD – Local government district 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
LOT – Township and royalty 67 Note ...: not applicable 67 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
M – Municipality / Municipalité 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
MD – Municipal district 76 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 12 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 64 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
MÉ – Municipalité 647 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 647 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
MU – Municipality 102 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 65 37 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
NH – Northern hamlet 11 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 11 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
NL – Nisga'a land 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
NO – Unorganized / Non organisé 137 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 96 16 10 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 4 6 3
NV – Northern village 11 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 11 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
P – Parish / Paroisse (municipalité de) 148 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 148 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
PE – Paroisse (municipalité de) 151 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 151 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
RCR – Rural community / Communauté rurale 7 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 7 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
RDA – Regional district electoral area 159 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 159 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
RGM – Regional municipality 5 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 3 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
RM – Rural municipality 358 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 62 296 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
RV – Resort village 40 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 40 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
S-É – Indian settlement / Établissement indien 27 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 6 5 4 1 4 3 4 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SA – Special area 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SC – Subdivision of county municipality / Subdivision municipalité de comté 28 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 28 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SÉ – Settlement / Établissement 13 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 13 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SET – Settlement 12 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 9 3
SG – Self-government / Autonomie gouvernementale 4 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SM – Specialized municipality 5 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 5 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SNO – Subdivision of unorganized / Subdivision non organisée 92 92 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
SV – Summer village 51 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 51 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
T – Town 698 274 8 27 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 88 25 148 107 14 3 4 Note ...: not applicable
TC – Terres réservées aux Cris 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
TI – Terre inuite 13 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 13 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
TK – Terres réservées aux Naskapis 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
TL – Teslin land 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
TP – Township 195 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 195 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
TV – Town / Ville 27 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 26 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
V – Ville 224 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 224 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
VC – Village cri 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 8 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
VK – Village naskapi 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
VL – Village 518 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 65 44 11 2 258 90 43 4 1 Note ...: not applicable
VN – Village nordique 14 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable 14 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable

Census subdivision types associated with 'on reserve' population

On reserve population is a derived census variable that is captured by using the census subdivision (CSD) type according to criteria established by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC; formerly Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada [AANDC]). On reserve population includes people living in any of the six CSD types legally affiliated with First Nations or Indian bands (described below).

The following census subdivision types are based on the legal definition of communities affiliated with First Nations or Indian bands.

  1. Indian reserve (IRI) – A tract of federally owned land with specific boundaries that is set apart for the use and benefit of an Indian band and that is governed by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Statistics Canada only recognizes the subset of Indian reserves that are populated (or potentially populated) as census subdivisions. For 2016, of the more than 3,200 Indian reserves across Canada, there are 949 Indian reserves classified as CSDs (including the 9 reserves added for 2016). Statistics Canada works closely with INAC to identify those reserves to be added as CSDs.
  2. Indian settlement (S-É) – A place where a self-contained group of at least 10 Indian (Aboriginal) persons resides more or less permanently. It is usually located on Crown lands under federal or provincial/territorial jurisdiction. Indian settlements have no official limits and have not been set apart for the use and benefit of an Indian band as is the case with Indian reserves. Statistics Canada relies on INAC to identify Indian settlements to be recognized as census subdivisions, and their inclusion must be with the agreement of the provincial or territorial authorities. An arbitrary boundary is delineated to represent each Indian settlement as a census subdivision. (Exclusions: Champagne Landing 10, Klukshu, Two Mile and Two and One-Half Mile Village and Kloo Lake which have CSD type S-É are excluded from this tabulation.)
  3. Indian government district (IGD) – Sechelt reserve lands in British Columbia. The Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act is a transfer by Her Majesty in right of Canada to the Sechelt Band in all Sechelt reserve lands, recognizing that the Sechelt Band would assume complete responsibility for the management, administration and control of all Sechelt lands. The Sechelt Indian Government District Enabling Act (British Columbia) recognizes the district Council as the governing body of the Sechelt Indian Government District. The district Council may enact laws or by-laws that a municipality has power to enact under an act of the province.
  4. Terres réservées aux Cris (TC) – Parcels of land in Quebec set aside for the permanent residence of Cree First Nations of Quebec. Terres réservées aux Cris are adjacent to villages cris. The area of a village cri is set aside for the use of Cree bands, but members of Cree bands are not permanently residing there. Note that a village cri and its adjacent terre réservée aux Cris can have the same name, e.g., the village cri of Waswanipi and the terre reservée aux Cris of Waswanipi.
  5. Terres réservées aux Naskapis (TK) – Parcels of land in Quebec set aside for the permanent residence of Naskapi First Nations of Quebec. Terres réservées aux Naskapis are adjacent to village Naskapi. The lone area of village Naskapi is set aside for the use of the Naskapi band, although its members do not reside there permanently.
  6. Nisga'a land (NL) – Part of the territory whose title has been transferred to the Nisga'a Nation by the Final Land Claims Agreement of 1998 between the Nisga'a Nation, the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia. Together with the four Nisga'a villages (NVL), this territory makes up the Nisga'a Lands defined by the land claims agreement.

Census subdivision code

The census subdivision (CSD) code is a three-digit code that is based on the Standard Geographical Classification (SGC). In order to uniquely identify each CSD in Canada, the two-digit province/territory (PR) code and the two-digit census division (CD) code must precede the CSD code. For example:

Example
Table summary
This table displays an example. The information is grouped by province/territoire-census division-census subdivision code (appearing as row headers), census subdivision name and type (appearing as column header).
PR-CD-CSD code   CSD name and type
12 06 008 Mahone Bay, T (N.S.)
35 06 008 Ottawa, CV (Ont.)

There are two municipalities in Canada that straddle provincial limits: Flin Flon (Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and Lloydminster (Saskatchewan and Alberta). Each of their provincial parts is treated as a separate CSD. Indian reserves are also treated as separate CSDs when they straddle provincial limits.

Changes to census subdivisions for the 2016 Census

Noteworthy municipal restructuring occurred in Manitoba, with 107 dissolutions and 47 incorporations.

The following reserve CSDs were deleted because they are not to be populated.

The boundaries, names, codes and statuses of census subdivisions reflect those in effect on January 1, 2016, the geographic reference date for the 2016 Census of Canada. Information about any CSD changes that were effective on or before the January 1, 2016 reference date must have been received by Statistics Canada prior to March 1, 2016, in order to be processed in time for the census.

Refer to the related definition of Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) and to the 2016 Standard Geographical Classification (SGC), Volume I (Catalogue no. 12-571-X) for summaries of the intercensal census subdivision changes to codes, names and statuses.

Changes prior to the current census

British Columbia: The following reserve and settlement CSDs were combined in order to provide more meaningful statistics.

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