| Wholesaling, defined as the distribution of goods
from importers or manufacturers to retailers, has traditionally
depended on access to trade (market)
areas outside the city. During the last century, railway lines determined
the location of wholesalers; today, however, major highways are
the important factor. In general, wholesale activity is associated
with larger cities and higher incomes (for example, Vancouver).
 [D]
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Photograph of a facility for retail distribution, Ottawa, Ontario
Geographical Description
On this map, the size of the circles is proportional to the population
of the cities, while the degree of specialization is shown by the
colour in the legend. The old ports (for example, Halifax) and rail
centres (for example, Winnipeg) remain specialized in wholesaling,
whereas new clusters of wholesale distribution centres have developed
in locations with high road access around both Toronto and Montréal.
Specialized cities in the Prairie provinces with extensive trade
(market) areas contrast with the lower levels of specialization
found in the industrial centres of Ontario and Quebec. Within each
region, the most accessible locations tend to be most specialized
in wholesale, and the most isolated or peripheral centres are deficient.
Around the larger cities, some smaller urban areas specialize in
wholesale services, while others are largely residential. This pattern
is evident in two smaller centres near Vancouver: Duncan (primarily
residential) and Maple Ridge (highly specialized in wholesaling).
Rural (low) and urban (high) differences in wholesale specialization
are also very strong due to the absence in rural areas of the dense
transportation network required to transport goods.
To properly interpret this map, please consult the text Data
and Mapping Notes.
|
![[D]](https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071125152318/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/economic/si/wholesale.gif/image_longdesc_view){kind=link}
