Where do most Canadians live and what factors explain the concentration of population in southern Canada's urban areas?

• A. Core region around the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands; milder climate, access to water routes, fertile soils, industrial jobs, and transportation networks.
• B. Northern tundra belt; long daylight in summer and isolation.
• C. Pacific coastal region; rainfall and fishing.
• D. Prairie plains; flat land and wind.

Answer: (A)

Most Canadians live in the southern part of the country, especially around the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands. This area has a milder climate than the north, which makes farming and daily life easier. It also offers fertile soils and abundant waterways for trade, helping industries grow. Historic development along these water routes created big cities with lots of jobs, and the region has extensive transportation networks—roads, rails, ports—that make it easy to move people and goods. Being close to the U.S. border also provides access to a large market. All of these factors together draw people into the southern urban areas, producing the strongest population concentration there. The other regions don’t fit as well because harsher climates, fewer jobs, or less infrastructure less effectively support large, dense populations.