Undergraduate Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://laurentian.scholaris.ca/handle/10219/2553

Browse

Browsing Undergraduate Theses by Subject "Canada"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    An analysis of primary and secondary sector employment in Canada in relation to the distribution of median income
    (2018-04-17) St-George, Eric
    The Canadian economy continues to become more ‘advanced’ and is shifting towards more service jobs; tertiary, quaternary, and quinary. As a result, the Canadian job market now focusses less on direct resource and manufacturing employment. These changes are occurring in the context of globalization where productivity is continually being improved upon and higher education is greatly valued. This study addresses employment activity in the primary and secondary sector in Canada. This analysis is done to get a better understanding of the continued importance of these employment activities in a country that is focussing on more professional and service jobs. In order to analyze the primary and secondary sector in Canada, three variables have been used. The three variables are: 1) mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; 2) agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; and 3) manufacturing. ArcMap has been used in this study to provide a visual representation of the spatial distribution of each of these three variables by according to a low, middle, and high range of industry activity. Locations in Canada that are categorized as low, middle and high in terms of industrial activity are also compared by median income. This research indicates that primary and secondary sector activity in Canada is still very important to the national economy as well as numerous local economies in Canada.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Canadian wildfires: a spatial-temporal assessment of fire activity and cause (1988 to 2018)
    (2020-04-22) Wheeler, Amy
    Vegetation zones such as the boreal forest in Canada have been shaped and maintained by naturally occurring wildfires for centuries. However, as global climates have warmed due to an increase in greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, there has been a profound impact on Canada’s forests. As fire activity continues to be very influential in altering forest biomes in Canada, it is important to analyze and evaluate these changes. The focus of this study is on assessing change in fire frequency, severity, and cause of fire disturbances in relation to where people reside in Canada. The timeframe for this study is a 30-year span, 1988 to 2018. The datasets utilized allowed for both temporal and spatial analysis of forest fires for each province and territory in Canada. Datasets were analyzed, and maps were developed using ESRI’s ArcMap GIS software. There has been an increase in both frequency and severity (in terms of area size) of forest fires over these 30 years. The main cause of this upsurge in fire activity is associated with lightning, but human accident fires have also steadily increased particular in proximity to Canada’s ecumene (where most people live). Human prescribed fires have also surged, especially in western Canada, as these deliberately set fires have become more necessary in efforts to safeguard Canada’s forest resource and vulnerable populations. As the geography of forest fire activity continues to evolve in Canada, this type of spatial-temporal research is useful to those who develop new policies, mitigation plans, and adaptation strategies to protect the vitality of forest ecosystems and the safety of Canadian populations