1. Canada’s Landform Regions

1. Canadian Shield (Canada’s Mineral Storehouse) Formation – First landform region to be formed – 4.6 billion years ago (Precambrian Era) Made from magma (lava) that cooled and hardened into the crust (scab). From the beginning some form of weathering and erosion started to ware it down. It was once a tall mountain surrounded by water. The “Shield” is North America’s – Canada’s foundation.

The sediment was worn off the Shield Mts. And moved to low areas. This formed sedimentary rock Plates squeezed up to the Shield to form other regions. Glaciers over the last 1000 – 10 000 years have scraped, gouged and depressed the “Shield” (like a footprint). The many lakes today exist because of this.

Society’s Uses Mining – We need its minerals to manufacture products. Forestry – The Boreal Forest produces us with construction materials and pulp for paper. Tourism – “cottage country”, wilderness, hiking, fishing…..

Population – Generally sparse – Why? Cold climate and soil is not good for farming. Vegetation – Boreal forest. Rocky areas with little to no soil. Poor quality for farming. Climate - Temperate, with cool temperatures and ample precipitation.

2. Interior Plains (Canada’s Breadbasket, Meat locker and Oil Reserves) Formation – Once was an ancient sea. Aquatic life provided the nutrients to make today’s soils fertile. These life forms died, decayed to form fertile soils. Sediment came from the ‘Shield’ being worn down. The Plains extend from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Famous for growing grass crops (wheat) and cattle rearing. Deposits of oil, natural gas (fossil fuels) are found here. Formed from vegetation falling into ancient seas, decaying, covered by sediment and pressed into fuel.

Climate – The climate is generally dry, why? – the air masses leave most of their moisture in the Western Mountains. Very warm summers and cold winters. Societies Uses – Agriculture – grass crops, such as wheat. Cattle rearing --- beef. Oil reserves.

Population – Generally sparse, except in major cities such as Regina and Saskatoon. The Plains is the entire Landform Region, the Praries is a specific portion of this region that is very flat and grows wheat. Vegetation – Most areas are treeless. Mostly grasslands.

3. Appalachian Mountains: (North Americas Eastern ‘Hills’) Formation – As plates moved, mountains were built up (squeezed) along North America’s east coast. The rock here was formed from eroded rock particles off of the ‘Shield’ (very old rock). Sedimentary rock is soft, therefore when plates collide it is the softer rock that will old, buckle, break = make mountains. Almost all mountains made of sedimentary rock. Today, the Appalachians are big, rounded hells worn down over millions of years.

Climate – Continental clime – ample precipitation, with warm summers and mild winters. Societies Uses – Mining – Coal and other minerals. Farming – potatoes Tourism – national parks, historical sites, etc. Fishing – cod, lobster, etc.

Population – Settlement/manufacturing – the east coast was the first portion of the continent to be explored, settled and developed. Vegetation – Forests. Fertile Valleys. Iron rich soils – P.E.I.’s famous red soil.

4. Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands (Canada’s most populated, wealthy, political strength, biggest fresh water and the warmest) Formation – Glaciers scraped and gouged and “bulldozed” rock, soil, and other debris off of the ‘Shield’ and deposited this onto our region – fertile soil. The weight of the glaciers depressed the land to help form lakes of various sizes, example – like your footprint in the sand.

Vegetation – Variety of lush vegetation, farms and forested areas. Climate – Very pleasant, the warmest in Canada. Societies Uses – Farming – tender fruits, tobacco, vegetables, corn, etc. Tourism – Niagara Falls, Toronto, etc. Manufacturing – Many businesses.

Population – Highest population density in Canada. Large cities such as Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, London, St. Catharines, etc. This region is naturally two (2) separate regions: A) The St. Lawrence Lowlands borders along the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Quebec City on both sides. The land is fertile, many farm, forests and a decent climate.

B) The Great lakes Lowlands is basically south of Barrie B) The Great lakes Lowlands is basically south of Barrie. We live in this region!!! More than half the population of Canada lives here. Why ??? The Great lakes acted as a natural inland waterway for the earth explorers, and even today for the St. Lawrence Seaway. Major cities started from; A) earliest military and fur trade posts. B) Natural harbours found along the water system, example – Toronto, Thunder Bay, Montreal, Hamilton. Urbanization – Changing farmland to “city” land.