1. LANDFORM REGIONS OF CANADA
Canada is divided into seven landform regions:
Cordillera
Interior Plains
Canadian Shield
Great Lakes - St.Lawrence Lowlands
Appalachians
Arctic and Hudson Bay Lowlands
Arctic Lowlands (Innuitian Mountains)

3. The Cordillera
Covers over 1.5 million sq km (about 1/6 of Canada’s territory)
Contains the highest mountains in Canada (Mt. Logan, Mt. Robson)
Contains the continental divide
Has volcanic and earthquake activity in recent centuries
Temperate rainforest
Natural Resources – forests, fish, minerals and hydroelectric power
Major cities – Vancouver and Victoria
Video 1

4. Google Earth Vancouver Island

5. Coastal Mountains

6. The West Coast Mountains
VERY TALL PEAKS
VOLCANIC
MANY FIORDS
IN SOME AREAS, THE SEA OFFERS THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND
COMMUNITIES IN VALLEYS ON SHORELINES

7. WEST COAST MOUNTAINS
INDUSTRIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES AND LANDFORMS OF THE AREA
WHISTLER ATTRACTS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ….

8. WEST COAST EXTREME
WHY WOULD EARLY SETTLERS HAVE FOUND THIS REGION DIFFICULT TO CROSS?
WHAT WOULD DISCOURAGE SETTLERS FROM REMAINING IN THIS REGION?

9. THE ROCKIES Rockies Video CANADA’S LARGEST MOUNTAINS
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A FRIEND ABOUT ROCKIES’ VEGETATION AND CLIMATE?
Rockies Video – from geologic journey
Rockies Video

10. Unlike flat regions, mountains are known for fast-flowing rivers which gouge steep valleys in the landscape

11. In what ways do the climate and vegetation change as you go up the mountainside?

12. Interior Plains

13. The Interior Plains (Prairies)
Once the bed of a huge sea between the Canadian Shield and the Rockies
Mostly flat
Composed of sedimentary rocks
Highly suitable for farming where climate offers the right conditions

14. The Interior Plains
A typical huge prairie farm.
Video 1

15. Human/Environment Interaction
Increased immigration to the plains brought overhunting and loss of habitat which left the bison nearly extint.

16. The Interior Plains Economy
Agriculture is one of the most important activities in the Interior Plains
What other major resource activity takes place there?

17. Transport on the Prairies
Canada’s wheat basket requires many kilometers of rail lines to deliver wheat to Vancouver, Hudson Bay and Thunder Bay

18. Canadian Shield
Video 1

19. The Canadian Shield Largest region in Canada
Among the oldest known rocks on the planet
Formed by volcanic activity, therefore mostly igneous rock (process created many valuable minerals – copper, gold, lead, diamonds, etc)
Cold winters, warm summers, precipitation all year give it a distinctive type of vegetation
Video 2

20. CANADIAN SHIELD
Stretches from Arctic to Great Lakes, from Mackenzie delta to Atlantic
Soils are thin - a poor choice for agriculture in most places

21. CANADIAN SHIELD
The wetlands & forests of the Shield region supported huge populations of fur-bearing animals such as the beaver. This made the region a vital part of the fur trade.

22. Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Lowlands

23. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Lowlands
Most southerly and smallest landform region of Canada
Newest landform region
Formed by the action of glaciers scraping away and re-depositing material on the landscape
Consists of lakes, valleys and rolling hills
Video

24. The Appalachians

25. APPALACHIANS What does this remind you of?
This is part of the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island
Video

26. APPALACHIAN Region Extension of the Appalachian mountains
Rich fishing resources

27. ARCTIC AND HUDSON BAY LOWLANDS
Usual to think the Arctic has few if any plants
During which two months would you expect to see the most Arctic growth?

28. The Arctic - the most varied Canadian region
This is the Brodeur peninsula of Baffin Island

29. Brodeur Peninsula - Baffin Island
These are called Hoodoos
Do you think these were formed by wind, waves or rivers?

30. Baffin Island Greenshield Glacier
Continental glaciers or icefields

31. Shark Fjord
This valley was carved out by a narrow band of glacial ice cutting into the plateau on either side

32. Labrador - Torngat Mountains

33. Ayr Lake - Baffin Island
Very remote to most Canadians
Some mining industries are leaving a permanent mark on the landscape