Ontario Flashcards
Ontario’s prominent position within Canada and North
America shaken by what
economic downturn of 2008 (Collapse of Chrysler and General Motors)
Short term prospects for Ontario’s economy hinge on
-Low canadian dollar
-Low interest rates to keep debt payments low
-Increased exports to the US
-Understanding nuances of a knowledge-based
economy
Ontario’s position as strongest memeber of confederation has slipped due to which four reasons
(1) Market for ontario products going to states dried up after crash of 2008
(2) China joining the world trade organization in 2002
(3) western provinces are enjoying the economic boom and are surpassing ontario birthing rates.
(4) Ontario government has little latitude to lead province out economic doldrums due to debt
what are the two sub regions of Ontario
Northern Ontario : Canadian sheild and Hudsons bay lowlands
Southern Ontario : Consists of Great lakes- st Lawrence lowlands
each has a seperate economy
Northern Ontario physical region consists of
- a subarctic climate
- long winters and short summers means vulnerable crops
- relatively low elevations
Southern Ontario physical region consists of
- moderate continental climate
- hot humid summers, short cold winters
- most favoured physical region in canada
- fertile soil, temps means good agriculture
Northern Ontario Economy
Resource-based economy due to difficult climate
and rugged terrain
Development dependent on forestry, tourism, and
mining
Southern Ontario Economy
Agricultural-industrial economy due to long growing
season, ample precipitation, and fertile soils
-Diverse agi compared to western Canada
There are three highly specialized agricultural regions in Ontario
The Norfolk Tobacco Belt
Niagara Fruit Belt
Essex-Kent vegetable area
why is farming decreases
property is too expensive
Air Pollution in Ontario
Caused by automobile dependency • More efficient engines reduce exhaust fumes but this is not enough o In 2014, Ontario ceased to produce electricity from coal (higher-cost energy has pushed some Ontarians into “energy poverty”
Water Pollution in Ontario
o Caused by industrial effluents, farm chemicals, and livestock waste
o A serious problem in Indigenous communities across Canada
o Drinking water on reserves falls under the federal government
o Boil-water advisories are common
Other problems facing Great Lakes Basin
o Declining water levels due to global warming lead to
retreating shorelines and threat of water erosion
o Introduction of exotic species(e.g. sea lampreys, zebra
mussels) push out native species and have negative impact on
domestic fisheries
Successful manufacturing in southern Ontario due to:
-Close proximity toUS manufacturing belt -Trade restriction on foreign manufacturedgoods (National Policy, 1879) -Access by US branch plants in Canada to lower tariffs for Canadianmade products in British Empire -Minimal transportation costs due to size of domestic marke
what gives Ontario it’s rank
- largest economy
- personal income above the average
- greastest cluster of major cities, unis, tech centres.
- elects more members of parliment
- central location in north america further facilitated by its hub position in the east west and north south transp. systems
Percentage of workers in manufacturing
jobs has dropped since 2000
Common factors are:
o automation;
o outsourcing;
o offshore relocation;
o high Canadian dollar (to 2014) relative to
other national currencies (e.g. United States
dollar)
• Both the primary and secondary sectors
are losing ground to the tertiary sector
Automotive manufacturing and Canadian banks have been an economic anchor for
over 50 years
NAFTA (1995) and a 2001 WTO ruling unravelled the
protections afforded by
by the Auto Pact and the Canada–
US Free Trade Agreement
The highly mineralized section of northern Ontario is called the
“Ring of Fire”
Northern Ontario Demographics that are strikingly different from southern Ontario
o Aging population
o Net-outmigration of (young) people
o Few immigrants
o Small but rapidly growing Cree and Métis population
Two most populated North ontario cities
Thunder Bay, Sudbury
North ONT. Key industries
o Forestry
• Faces two issues: Old technology used in pre-WWII mills and
fluctuations in US demand for softwood lumber
o Mining
• Major challenge is limited lifespan of non-renewable resources
Ontario’s population mainly lives in which section
Southern
Fastest-growing cities
Guelph, Oshawa, and Toronto
