Survey of Household Spending (SHS)

Population centre of household, category

Population centre refers to an area with a population of at least 1,000 and no fewer than 400 persons per square kilometre.

The term 'population centre' (POPCTR) replaces the term 'urban area' (UA). Population centres are classified into three groups, depending on the size of their population:

- small population centres, with a population between 1,000 and 29,999
- medium population centres, with a population between 30,000 and 99,999
- large urban population centres, with a population of 100,000 or more.

Household refers to a person or group of persons who occupy the same dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada or abroad. The dwelling may be either a collective dwelling or a private dwelling. The household may consist of a family group such as a census family, of two or more families sharing a dwelling, of a group of unrelated persons or of a person living alone. Household members who are temporarily absent on reference day are considered part of their usual household.

The data for this variable are reported using the following classifications and/or lists:

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