Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

Digital boundary files (DBFs)

Part A - Short definition:

Not applicable

Part B - Detailed definition:

Digital boundary files (DBFs) portray the boundaries used for census data collection and, therefore, often extend as straight lines into bodies of water.

Census years:

2011, 2006, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976

Remarks:

The boundaries of the geographic areas reflect those in effect on January 1, 2011 (the geographic reference date for the 2011 Census of Canada).

The boundaries are generated from the Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). The boundaries extend into bodies of water, rather than follow the shoreline, to ensure that limits are followed and that all land and islands are included for census enumeration. Thus, boundaries may cut through lakes, extend into oceans, or follow the approximate centres of rivers.

Digital boundary files are not suitable for computing land area, thematic mapping applications or other types of analyses requiring the realistic depiction of shorelines and water bodies, unless the user intends to apply their own shorelines to the boundaries.

Refer to the related definitions of cartographic boundary files (CBFs); road network file (RNF); Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and to the Boundary Files, Reference Guide (Catalogue no. 92-160-G).

Changes prior to the current census: