Atlantic Canada

General Facts about Atlantic Canada

-3 Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI) and Newfoundland & Labrador -Lowest populations of the Canadian provinces

Hibernia Oil Project

-4000 workers designed the platform that began producing oil in 1977 -Construction required huge capital investment to build a platform that could withstand powerful winter storms and icebergs -Now accounts for 12% of Canadian oil production

Physical Geography of Atlantic Canada

-Appalachian Uplands and Canadian Shield -Maritimes + Newfoundland = Appalachian Uplands -Labrador = Canadian Shield (Torngat Mountains formed over 750 million years ago) -Appalchian Uplands are an ancient, eroded mountain chain -Over millions of years, streams have cut deeply into the land resulting in hilly terrain with rugged areas

Confederation Bridge

-Bridge spans Northumberland Strait and links PEI to New Brunswick -It is 13 km long and opened in 1997 -Bridge has been a boost to tourism and retail sectors in PEI

Mining

-Canadian Shield in Labrador has deposits of iron ore and nickel -Voisey's Bay is a low-cost nickel mine because deposits are close to the surface and it is a short distance from the ocean -Sedimentary layers in Appalachian Uplands contain coal, especially on Cape Breton Island -Rocks underlying the Grand Banks are a rich source of petroleum

Environmental Issues

-Cape Breton was formerly a major steel and iron centre in Canada -Waste products from the Sydney Steel Company were housed in the Sydney Tar Ponds -Toxic chemicals began seeping into a nearby creek and seeping into basements -Research indicated that those who lived in the vicinity were at a higher risk for cancer -Largest environmental clean-up project in Canada -Federal and Nova Scotia government spent $400M cleaning up the area

Commuting to Alberta

-During the peak of the construction boom in Fort McMurray, up to 10,000 workers from Newfoundland -Air, travel, food and housing are all paid for at company expense -Salaries return to their families (up to $100,000 annually are a boost to the economy)

The Cod Fishery- Implications of indiscriminate catch of all types of fish regardless of species, value or age

-Enormous waste because non-commercial fish are discarded -Destroy fragile ecosystems such as the coral reef and habitats for breeding -By 1980s, cod stock dropped up to 60% -Ottawa placed a moratorium on cod fishing in 1922 -Still not known how long it will take for the stock to fully recover -Cod do not reproduce until the age of 7 years

The Continental Shelf

-Extended perimeter of a continent associated with a coastal plain -Atlantic Canada has it extend up to 400 km offshore -Areas where the waters a relatively shallow = Banks -Largest are the Grand Banks east of St. John's

Fishing Industry- Modernization has impacted the economy

-Fewer fishers are required since nets and gear have become more efficient -Large trawlers have contributed to overexploitation -Collapse of cod fisheries force many fishers to turn to government assistance

Historical Geography of Atlantic Canada

-First part of North American to be discovered by Europeans -Vikings established a settlement at the northeastern part of Newfoundland in 1000 A.D. -Italian explorer John Cabot reached the area while searching for a route to Asia -By the 1700s, the population was a mix of British, French (Acadians) and Aboriginals (Mi'kmaq) -American Revolution had an impact on the historical settlement of Atlantic Canada -Following victory by the U.S., 40,000 loyalists settled here -Waves of immigrants from British isles continued -Scottish = Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia), Irish = Saint John (New Brunswick)

Unemployment

-High in rural and coastal communities of Atlantic Canada -Many of these towns have roots in the fishing industry that no longer supports them -Many workers commute to Alberta (Fort McMurray) -Workers spend 20 consecutive days in FortMcMurray and return home for 8 days

Churchill Falls Power Agreement

-In order for power to be exported from Churchill Falls to New England, it had to be transmitted through Quebec -Quebec refused to allow this and instead negotiated a deal to buy power produced from the project -Deal allows Quebec to buy power from Churchill Falls at 1969 prices until 2041 -Resentment toward Quebec

Early Economic Growth

-In the early 1800s, harvesting of natural resources was rampant -Availability of timber and seaside location provided conditions for shipbuilding -Just before Confederation, iron replaced wood as the main resource for shipbuilding

Confederation

-Intercolonial Railway aided in luring Maritimes to join -Gave access to national markets and allowed Maritimes to achieve economies of scale -However, the National Policy led to the development of the core as a manufacturing area and ultimately resulted in the Maritimes remaining as a periphery

Nova Scotia Steel Industry

-Iron mining provided the basis for the steel industry on Cape Breton Island -Much of the steel was exported for the construction of railroads in Western Canada -Demand for steel dropped following WWII and the size of the labour force was reduce -Steel mill closed in 2004 (Cape Bretone Island) with a depressed economy

Newfoundland Resettlement Program

-Joint venture between federal and Newfoundland government from 1967 to 1975 -Relocate to one of 77 "growth centres" -If at least 75% of residents of a village agreed, they were given public relocation funds -Over 150 villages were abandoned during this period

Climate of Newfoundland

-Least desirable climate -Gulf Stream is a warm current originating in Florida -Meets Labrador Current off the coast of St. John's -Fog and mist

The Annapolis Valley

-Low-lying area of Nova Scotia near the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin -Fertile, well-drained soil provides the best agricultural area in Atlantic Canada -After glaciers retreated, sea water flooded the land and deposited fine marine sediments

Forestry in Atlantic Canada

-Majority in New Brunswick -Some forest logged 3 times over in past 300 years -Industry has declined with slumping newsprint industry and poor U.S. housing market -Since 2007, pulp and paper mills have closed

Fishing Industry- Differences in type of catch by location

-Newfoundland has depended on cod fishing until the collapse of that industry -Maritimes harvest a variety of sea life (flounder, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallop) -Lobster has become the most valuable species accounting for 62% of the total value of the Maritime Industry

Urbanization in Atlantic Canada

-Of 20 largest CMAs in Canada, only 2 are located in Atlantic Canada (Halifax, St. John's)

Offshore Petroleum Deposits

-Off the coast of St. John's are a source of optimism for Newfoundland -In 2007, province invested a 4.9% equity share in an offshore drilling project -Revenue = "have" province for the first time in history

Recent boosts to Atlantic Economy

-Offshore petroleum deposits -Exporting energy to New England -Wealth returning to the area from commuters to Alberta's oil sands

Agriculture in Atlantic Canada

-Only 5% of the land is suitable for agriculture in the Maritimes; 0.1% in Newfoundland & Labrador 1. PEI (potatoes) 2. Saint John River Valley in New Brunswick (dairy) 3. Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia (fruit orchards)

Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Project

-Opened in 1971 and a dam on the Churchill River in Labrador -2nd largest hydroelectric plant in North America -Vast reservoir created by damming the river is known as the Smallwood Reservoir, named after former Premier Joey Smallwood

Georges Bank

-Ottawa claimed the right to manager fisheries within 200 nautical mile zone off the coast; Washington did the same -Area of dispute between two countries -International Court awarded 5/6 of bank to U.S. -1/6 is rich in scallops and has helped Nova Scotia economy

Climate of Atlantic Canada

-Proximity to Atlantic Ocean results in high amounts of cloud cover, fog, and precipitation -Labrador Current keeps winters cold enough for heavy snowfall -Winter storms that move across the continent gain intensity from the Atlantic Ocean and intensify = nor'easters

Rural Population in Atlantic Canada

-Region is 46% rural (more than 2x Canada) -When British and French arrived, they looked for small sheltered harbours that would provide access to the cod fisheries -Hundreds of villages developed around these harbours; many are now in rapid decline -Delivering healthcare, education and social services to these villages is very costly -Many young people leave the village in favour of urban centres -Governments provide financial incentives to encourage people to consolidate in larger centres -Since 1945, over a thousand villages (original populations <200) have disappeared -Mainly in NEWFOUNDLAND

Population Trends in Atlantic Canada

-Since Confederation, grown well below national average -Between 1996 and 2006, Newfoundland & Labrador declined by 6% -Approximately 7% of the workforce in Newfoundland & Labrador live in the province but work in a different province (Alberta)

Economy of Atlantic Canada

-Unemployment rates are frequently the highest in Canada and there is heavy dependence on Ottawa for economic support -Why weak economy? 1. Division into small provinces discourages integrated economy 2. Natural resources have been exhausted (coal, iron) or overexploited (Cod) 3. Population is widely dispersed and consists of small markets 4. Distance from major markets has suppressed the manufacturing base

Halifax

-Urban focal point of Maritimes -Deep, ice-free harbour that makes it an ideal international port -Economy is based on provincial government administrative services, naval base, tourism

Labrador. Why is it drawn into the orbit of Quebec?

1. Hydroelectricity produced in Labrador is transmitted through power lines in Quebec 2. Iron-ore mined in Labrador is shipped to the port of Sept-Iles, Quebec 3. Labrador-Quebec highway connects Labrador's largest city (Goose Bay) to Quebec's provincial highway

The Cod Fishery-Mismanagement and Info

Mismanagement depended on 3 factors: -Overestimated cod stocks by Department of Fisheries and Oceans -Strong pressure for high quotas by Newfoundland politicians -Canada did not have control over the outer regions of the Grand Banks -Largest concentration of Atlantic cod was on the Grand Banks -By 1960, the annual catch was 2 million tonnes per year -Most of this was from European trawlers (large weighted nets)

The Labrador Current

-Evident by the flow of icebergs that originate in Greenland -Responsible for the iceberg that sunk the Titanic in 1912 -Iceberg Tourism Industry in St. John's