Geography of Canada, Grade 9

Unit 1: Geographic Skills and Careers

How geographic investigation builds transferable and STEM/geospatial skills, applying them to current events and everyday life, and the careers — including geospatial technology roles and the skilled trades — where a geography background is an asset.

• Skills geography builds
• Discussing sensitive issues
• Geography in the news
• Careers in geography

Unit 2: Interactions in the Physical Environment

Canada's landscapes and landforms and the physical regions they define; the geological, hydrological, and climatic processes that shape the land; patterns in physical processes and events; global physical systems; physical geography and Canadian identity; and how physical characteristics interrelate with human activities, natural hazards, climate change, and how communities value the environment.

• Canada's landscapes and landforms
• Differentiating physical regions
• Processes that shape the land

• Patterns in physical events
• Global physical systems and Canada
• Physical geography and identity

• Land and human activity
• Human impact on natural processes
• Natural hazards and responses
• Climate change consequences
• How communities value the environment

Unit 3: Managing Canada's Resources and Industries

The characteristics and spatial distribution of Canada's renewable, non-renewable, and flow resources; how resources are extracted and used, including clean energy; knowledge-based industries and industrial location; the importance and interconnections of Canadian industries; careers and geospatial technology; land tenure, Indigenous land rights, and economic reconciliation; and the sustainable development of resources and industries.

• Types of Canadian resources
• Where resources are found
• Extraction and clean energy

• Knowledge-based industries
• What decides where industries locate
• Industries and global connections
• Careers in Canadian industries
• Land tenure and reconciliation

• Models of sustainable development
• Sustainability issues
• Strategies and their effectiveness
• Who influences resource use
• The life cycle of everyday products

Unit 4: Changing Populations

Canada's demographic characteristics and trends; factors in quality of life and well-being; migration and immigration; patterns of settlement and population density; comparisons with other places; the effects of population change on communities; government strategies; opportunities and challenges of demographic shifts; and global population issues that concern Canada.

• Canada's demographic trends
• Quality of life and well-being
• Migration and immigration
• Settlement patterns and density
• Comparing settlement worldwide

• Effects of population change
• Strategies for a changing population
• Opportunities and challenges of growth
• Global population issues and Canada

Unit 5: Liveable Communities

Land use in Canadian communities and how it affects them; the impact of the natural environment and climate change on land use and planning; economic, social, cultural, and political forces on communities; urban growth and sprawl; and the sustainability of food systems, transportation, energy, communities, and culturally informed community planning.

• Types of land use
• Environment's impact on land use
• Forces that shape communities
• Urban growth and sprawl

• Sustainable food systems
• Sustainable transportation
• Energy decisions and sustainability
• Sustainable communities
• Culturally informed community design