Geographic and geospatial statistics

General reference maps

These are the most-requested maps made by the Office of Statistics and Information.

Overview maps (1 page each)

2019 and 2010 Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions

• 2019 Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions (1 map showing all 87 PEDs)
• 2010 Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions (1 map showing all 87 PEDs)

Alberta Census Divisions and Land-use Framework Regions

• 2016 Alberta Census Divisions and Land-use Framework Regions
• 2011 Alberta Census Divisions and Land-use Framework Regions

Alberta Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations

• 2016 Alberta Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations
• 2011 Alberta Census Metropolitan Areas

Alberta Census Subdivisions and Census Divisions

• 2016 Alberta Census Subdivisions and Census Divisions
• 2011 Alberta Census Subdivisions and Census Divisions
• 2011 Alberta Census Subdivisions and 2010 Provincial Electoral Divisions

Alberta Census Subdivisions, Census Divisions and Economic Regions

• 2016 Alberta Census Subdivisions, Census Divisions and Economic Regions
• 2011 Alberta Census Subdivisions, Census Divisions and Economic Regions

Map series (documents containing individual maps)

• 2019 Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions (PEDs) (87 individual maps)
• 2011 Alberta Census Divisions (19 individual maps)
• 2011 Alberta Economic Regions (8 individual maps)
• 2010 Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions (PEDs) (87 individual maps)
• Alberta Land-use Framework Regions (7 individual maps)

Alberta interactive maps

Interactive maps on ArcGIS online

See the Quick User Guide to help you get started using this interactive tool.

• 2018 Spatial Price Survey interactive map of Alberta
• 2016 Provincial Electoral Division Profiles (PEDs) interactive map

Interactive map on GeoDiscover Alberta

See the GIS map viewer user guide to help you use this Census webmap.

• 2016 Census webmap

OSI publication maps

OSI makes these maps:

• Summary table maps of demographics by 2019 Provincial Electoral Divisions (July 2018)
• Population growth maps from 2017 – 2041 Alberta Population Projections (PDF, 3.3 MB) (June 2017)
• Fort McMurray residential destruction map (PDF, 1.6 MB) – Budget 2016 First Quarter Fiscal Update, page 15 (August 2016)
• National Household Survey – Aboriginal People in Alberta (PDF, 6.8 MB) (May 2016)
• Summary table maps of demographics by provincial electoral divisions (PDF, 16.9 MB) (December 2014)

Geospatial downloadable datasets

Boundary files, social vulnerability indicators and reference guides

For its work, the OSI uses a number of administrative and census geographic boundaries, as well as socio-economic data. The information is licensed under the Open Government License – Alberta.

The datasets are available as zipped shapefile packages (SHP) or as geodatabases (.gdb). The shapefile format is a popular geospatial vector data format for geographic information system (GIS) software. Metadata for the shapefiles are provided in HTML and XML format. Geodatabases are collections of files in a folder on disk that can store, query, and manage both spatial and nonspatial data. Metadata for the geodatabase are contained within the Geodatabase.

Boundary files - Statistics Canada reference guides

• Statistics Canada reference guide – Census year 2016 (PDF, 381 KB)
• Statistics Canada reference guide – Census year 2011 (PDF, 1.6 MB)

2016 Social Vulnerability Indicators

This dataset contains 16 layers related to social vulnerability. The topics covered include:

• Age and Sex
• Core Housing Needs
• Immigration
• Visible Minorities
• Education
• Employment
• Income
• Language
• Lone-Parent Households
• Mobility

The data is mapped by Census Subdivisions for Alberta and is derived from Statistics Canada 2016 Census data. The layers are stored in a File Geodatabase that was created using ESRI ArcGIS 10.3.1. A project file (.mxd) and metadata are contained within the geodatabase.

• 2016 Social Vulnerability Indicators by Census Subdivision

Census Division (CD) boundaries

A Census Division is a group of neighbouring municipalities joined together for the purposes of regional planning and managing common services like police or ambulance services.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format:

• 2016 CD boundaries
• 2011 CD boundaries

Census Subdivision (CSD) boundaries

A Census Subdivision is the general term for municipalities, as determined by provincial or territorial legislation, or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format:

• 2016 CSD boundaries
• 2011 CSD boundaries

Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) and Census Agglomeration (CA) boundaries

These boundaries are formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre, known as the core. A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more must live in the core. A CA must have a core population of at least 10,000.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format::

• 2016 CMA and CA boundaries
• 2011 CMA and CA boundaries

Census Tract (CT) boundaries

A Census Tract is a small, relatively stable geographic area that usually has a population of less than 10,000 persons. They are located in census metropolitan areas and in census agglomerations that had a core population of 50,000 or more in the previous census.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format:

• 2016 CT boundaries
• 2011 CT boundaries

Dissemination Area (DA) boundaries

A Dissemination Area is the smallest standard geographic unit composed of one or more adjacent dissemination blocks with an average population of 400–700 persons.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format:

• 2016 DA boundaries
• 2011 DA boundaries

Economic Region (ER) boundaries

An Economic Region is a grouping of complete census divisions (CDs) created as a standard geographic unit for analysis of regional economic activity.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP), and metadata in HTML and XML format:

• 2016 ER boundaries
• 2011 ER boundaries

Provincial Electoral Division (PED) boundaries

Provincial Electoral Divisions are comprised of all the areas in Alberta established as electoral divisions under the Alberta Electoral Divisions Act, and reflects the legally valid boundaries for provincial general elections and for provincial by-elections.

These pages link to zipped shapefile packages (SHP):

• 2019 PED boundaries
• 2010 PED boundaries

Spatial Analysis

Spatial analysis is the backbone of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) technologies, which lies at the core of all work done within the sphere of geospatial statistics within the Government of Alberta. To learn more about spatial analysis within this socio-economic environment, please check out this ArcGIS Online Story Map.

Geography standards

Cartographic standards

OSI mapping standards follow the National Topographic System (NTS) Polychrome Map Standards and Specifications; are proprietary, if applicable; and follow conventional and sound cartographic principles.

Metadata standards

All metadata is kept and recorded for every spatial dataset used by the OSI and complies with Alberta’s Geospatial metadata standard of the ISO 19115 North American Profile.

Quality control (QC) standards

Every spatial deliverable in the OSI undergoes rigorous review to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Geographic acronyms

See our list of OSI geographic acronyms.

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Contact

Ting Wei, Geospatial Data Analyst, Geospatial Statistics
Office of Statistics and Information
Phone: 780-643-0616
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

General OSI enquiries

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2071
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-426-3951
Email: [email protected]