Population Change and External Commuting in Canada's Rural and Small Town Municipalities: 1996-2001‪.‬

Abstracts C.J.A. MITCHELL: "Population Change and External Commuting in Canada's Rural and Small Town Municipalities: 1996-2001." This paper examines the relationship between population change and external commuting within eight size classes that comprise Canada's rural and small town (RST) municipalities. It finds that population change between 1996 and 2001 has varied much within these classes, with very small (less than 499 residents) and very large (more than 7500) census subdivisions gaining residents at the expense of those that are mid-sized. It also reveals considerable variation in levels of external commuting taking place within these size categories. Larger population size classes demonstrate a much higher percentage of external commuting than do those supported by fewer residents. A comparison of population change and commuting to larger urban areas reveals a weak, but statistically significant, correlation in ali but three of Canada's southern provinces, and in all but the very large and very small population size classes. Other types of migration (in-and out) are assumed to be responsible for this insignificance, although verification of this awaits further study.