The Geographic Attribute File (GAF) contains information at the dissemination block level, based Census standard geographic areas. The data available include population counts, dwelling counts, and land area. In addition, the Geographic Attribute File contains higher level standard geographic codes, names and, where applicable, types and classes. Data for higher level standard geographic areas can be derived by aggregating dissemination block level data. The dissemination area representative point coordinates are also included in the Geographic Attribute File.

The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,180 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels. The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,180 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels. The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2022 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

GeoSuite is a tool used for data retrieval, query and tabular output. It allows users to explore the links between all standard levels of geography and to identify geographic codes, names, unique identifiers, and, where applicable, types, as well as land area and population and dwelling counts. GeoSuite includes data for the following the 2021 Census standard geographic areas: • Canada (CAN) • Provinces and territories (PRs) • Census divisions (CDs) • Federal electoral districts (FEDs) (2013 Representation Order) • Census subdivisions (CSDs) • Designated places (DPLs) • Economic regions (ERs) • Census consolidated subdivisions (CCSs) • Census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs) and census metropolitan influenced zones (MIZs) • Census tracts (CTs) • Population centres (POPCTRs) and rural areas (RAs) • Dissemination areas (DAs) • Dissemination blocks (DBs) • Aggregate dissemination areas (ADAs) • Place names (PNs)

The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,173 census subdivisions (CSDs), which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels. The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The 2023 Census Subdivision Boundary File is available as a national file.

Census subdivision (CSD) is the general term for municipalities (as determined by provincial/territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (e.g., Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories). Municipal status is defined by laws in effect in each province and territory in Canada. Census subdivisions (CSDs) are classified into 53 types according to official designations adopted by provincial/territorial or federal authorities. Two exceptions are 'subdivision of unorganized' (SNO) in Newfoundland and Labrador, and 'subdivision of county municipality' (SC) in Nova Scotia, which are geographic areas created as equivalents for municipalities by Statistics Canada, in cooperation with those provinces, for the purpose of disseminating statistical data. The census subdivision type accompanies the census subdivision name in order to distinguish CSDs from each other, for example, Balmoral, VL (for the village of Balmoral) and Balmoral, P (for the parish / paroisse (municipalité de) of Balmoral).

The 2021 Census Boundary Files depict the boundaries of all standard geographic areas established for the purpose of disseminating census data. They contain information such as unique identifier (UID), name and type where applicable, as well as land area and province or territory unique identifier (PRUID). Each boundary file can be linked to all higher level geographic areas using its DGUID and the new 2021 Dissemination Geographies Relationship File. They are available for download or viewing in two types: cartographic and digital. Both cartographic and digital boundary files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]). The purpose of the 2021 Census Boundary Files is to provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis, and to support Geographic Information System (GIS) applications used for land use and demographic studies, or social, economic and market research. Geographic unique identifiers permit linkage of statistical data to geographic areas depicted in the boundary files. Boundary files can also be used to create new geographic areas by combining standard geographic areas. The boundary files are positionally consistent with the 2021 Road Network File, which provides additional reference for geographic context for mapping applications. Each 2021 Census Boundary File contains the UID, DGUID, name and type where applicable, and land area of the geographic level the file represents. It also contains the PRUID. A 2021 Census Boundary File is available for each of the following geographic areas: • Provinces and territories (PRs) • Census divisions (CDs) • Federal electoral districts (2013 Representation Order) (FEDs) • Census subdivisions (CSDs) • Designated places (DPLs) • Economic regions (ERs) • Census agricultural regions (CARs) • Census consolidated subdivisions (CCSs) • Census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (CMA/CAs) • Census tracts (CTs) • Population centres (POPCTRs) • Dissemination areas (DAs) • Dissemination blocks (DBs) • Aggregate dissemination areas (ADAs) • Census Forward Sortation Areas© (CFSAs©) • Population Ecumene

The 2024 Census Subdivision Boundary File depicts the boundaries of all 5,028 census subdivisions, which combined, cover all of Canada. It contains the unique identifier (UID), name and type, as well as the UIDs, names and types (where applicable) of selected higher geographic levels. The 2024 Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83]) and is available as a national file.

Group of neighbouring municipalities joined together for the purposes of regional planning and managing common services (such as police or ambulance services). These groupings are established under laws in effect in certain provinces of Canada. Census division (CD) is the general term for provincially legislated areas (such as county, municipalité régionale de comté and regional district) or their equivalents. In other provinces and the territories where laws do not provide for such areas, Statistics Canada defines equivalent areas for statistical reporting purposes in cooperation with these provinces and territories. Census divisions are intermediate geographic areas between the province/territory level and the municipality (census subdivision). Census divisions (CD) have been established in provincial law to facilitate regional planning, as well as the provision of services that can be more effectively delivered on a scale larger than a municipality. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, provincial or territorial law does not provide for these administrative geographic areas. Therefore, Statistics Canada, in cooperation with these provinces and territories, has created equivalent areas called CDs for the purpose of disseminating statistical data. In Yukon, the CD is equivalent to the entire territory. Next to provinces and territories, census divisions (CD) are the most stable administrative geographic areas, and are therefore often used in longitudinal analysis.