What is this map?
This map projects the 2021 population density of the census tracts (CT) in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge census metropolitan area (CMA 541).
A census tract is a small geographic area with a population of usually (but not always) 2,500-7,500 people. Ideally, a CT is as compact as possible and its socioeconomic characteristics are as homogenous as possible. Census tracts appear in census metropolitan areas and the larger census agglomerations. Note that the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge CMA includes only the urban, suburban, and exurban portions of the broader Waterloo Region. (Some rural areas have been tracted because they’re linked to the suburban/rural fringe either be geography or population.)
What do we see in this map?
Waterloo Region’s population density is higher – surprise surprise – in the core downtown Kitchener and uptown Waterloo neighbourhoods:
- For Kitchener, much of its density is in its resurgent and compact downtown. This is common knowledge. The mapping of a single CT (54100017.00) over this geographically small area relative to its neighboring CT’s also accentuates the density of the downtown against the city’s original residential neighbourhoods, followed by its midcentury suburbs.
- In Waterloo, there is a similar look and feel. Dwelling patterns along the midtown King St spine are more dense than the surrounding 1950s and ’60s suburbs. King Street’s density begins to increase further as you pass Union Street and move into CT 5410102.00. This tract includes the ongoing developments around Allen LRT, as well as recent growth around Wilfrid Laurier University, up to Noecker. However, the larger spike appears between University and Columbia, moving westward from King: an area and CT where significant neighbourhood redevelopment and student highrise construction has taken place.
- In both cases, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on population data at the dissemination area (DA) level and doing a comparison to 2016 to show the growth that has occurred in this region.
Whither Cambridge?
Oh Cambridge, you poor thing. Suffering forever for a forced marriage of 3 townships in the 1970s. Galt, Preston, and Hespeler still show through on this map, if you know where to find them. The lack of dwellings in between the three towns still dominates the map, though – see CT 5410126.05 hugging Hespeler Road.
This is where I want to write about the region’s hopes for LRT-induced development in Cambridge, but without any real knowledge of Cambridge beyond the headlines in the papers, I’ll let others do the talking. But if ever you’re in Galt, get me some Reid’s Chocolates and Monigram Coffee. (“It’s worth the drive to Galt.”)
Will you always write so much about every map?
No. I live in Waterloo Region, so I know a few things by having boots on the ground. It’s a lived experience, so take it for what you will. (Sorry that you had to scroll through all that, locals.)
Notes and Caveats
- This map classifies census tracts by the Jenks classification method, in 7 categories.
- Processed with QGIS and then exported to the web vis QGIS2WEB and leaflet.js. The base map is Stamen Toner.
- I’m not a GIS expert. I know StatCan better then most, but GIS is secondary for me. This is as good as or better than you’ll find in the local papers, but I’d bring in the pro’s if I ever planned to publish something. (and you should, too.)
Sources
- Data : Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0014-01 Population and dwelling counts: Census metropolitan areas, tracted census agglomerations and census tracts
- Shapefile : Statistics Canada. 2021 Census Boundary File, Census Tracts.
- Base map : Stamen Toner