For details, see the methodology at the end. The computer program drew from several thousand satellite images, covering nearly 47,000 square kilometres, to create the maps shown at the beginning of this project, pulledfrom the 2016 geographical boundaries of the metropolises. To cover the period 2001-2021, we used an artificial intelligence algorithm to recognize the urban areas.
The latest Natural Resources Canada maps for the country's urban territory date back to 2015. “It has an economic, environmental and social cost.” Instead of building new neighbourhoods, we should intensify those that already exist and add services and shops within walking distance, according to experts. “Urban sprawl contributes enormously to greenhouse gas emissions,” saidTsenkova. In 2021, it went up by 19 m 2, an area equivalent to one to two additional parking spaces for each inhabitant. In 2001, residents of the nine largest centres occupied an average of 317 m 2 of urbanized territory. It’s as if the country’s urban areas have increased by three-and-a-half times the size of the island of Montreal.Īnd since urban sprawl (up 34 per cent) has progressed on average faster than population growth (up 26 per cent), each Canadian occupies, on average, more space, farther away from city centres. In all, 1,700 square kilometres have been added to the country’s nine biggest metropolitan areas since 2001. “We’re a suburban nation,” said Sasha Tsenkova, a professor of architecture, planning and landscape at the University of Calgary, who looked at our findings.