Correction: Growing up, growing out: comparing spatial patterns of urban populations in Canada

Abstract

The spatial distribution of population and related density characteristics has a significant impact on urban form; a low-density urban form is typically associated with low efficiency of service delivery, poor connectivity between communities, and a high tendency of urban sprawl, whereas higher density urban form is associated with transit-oriented development, efficient service delivery, and lower overall infrastructure costs. However, an urban area is never a homogenous environment. Depending on the general community designs, natural barriers, and massive functional infrastructures (airports, large parks), the urban population be may spread out evenly or condensed into some disjointed, isolated clusters. Given the context that Canadian cities have typically low population densities, their population distributions are subject to high spatial variabilities. We use geographic information system (GIS) techniques and geostatistical approaches (Getis–Ord [Formula: see text] hot spot analysis and HDBSCAN) to visualize and compare sub-municipal level population density of the 10 most populous census subdivisions (CSDs) in Canada. Results reveal both low-density forms and density segmentations in most municipalities, especially those without a natural or political border to constrain growth. Population segmentation is sometimes unsolvable due to natural landscapes or massive infrastructures initially planned by local municipalities; however, segmentations may be mitigated if future growth strategies maximize existing population clusters.