| Boreal and temperate forests cover nearly half of the Canadian
landmass, representing about 417 million hectares. More than 80%
of the Canadian territory south of the treeline is forested. This
map shows the distribution of the population compared to the forest
distribution. It shows that most of the population, about 80%, live
mainly in urban areas and at the margin of forests. According to
Statistics Canada, the Canadian population is concentrated in four
large urban areas: Southern Ontario, Montréal and its surrounding
metropolitan area, the lower mainland of British Columbia and the
south of Vancouver Island, and in the Calgary-Edmonton corridor.
Although forests play a key role in the Canadian economy, only
a minority of people actually live in the forest. There are about
three hundred communities, which directly depend on the forest to
survive. These communities, in which the population varies between
50 habitants to 23 000 habitants - the exception being Prince George
in British Columbia with a population near 70 000 - are mainly located
along the southern edge of the accessible boreal forest from the
Ontario-Manitoba border through to Newfoundland and into British
Columbia. These areas are characterized by a low population density.
For more information on these communities refer to Forestry
Reliant Communities, 2001
Importance of Forests for Canadians
Forests play an important role, not only from an economic point
of view, but also have social and spiritual roles equally important
to Canadians. Although only a minority of the Canadian population
lives in forested areas, many visit a forest each year to relax
and to engage in recreational activity. Hiking, camping, bird watching,
photography, hunting and mountain biking are just a few of the recreational
activities which take place in Canada's forested regions.
For many Canadians, forests are part of our national identity.
One remembers the first European settlers who travelled up and down
the forest to discover the country, who cleared the lands for settlement,
and who exploited its resources to establish the foundation of the
Canadian forest industry, which is still flourishing today.
Forests are a source of income and materials. They generate more
than 34 billion dollars towards the trade surplus and create direct
employment for almost 353 000 Canadians. Some of the goods provided
by forests are timber and wood for pulp and paper. Forests also
contribute to the tourist and recreational industries such as eco-tourism,
hunting and fishing.
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