GIS Lab #1: What can Tim Horton’s tell us
about the Population of Canada?
Name:
Date:
Tim Horton’s is more than a favourite destination for many Canadians. The location of Tim Horton stores
across Canada provides us with some pretty valuable information about Canadians that we can study.
We will be using the program ArcGIS Online to complete this study. Today you will complete the activity
without an account by following the link https://arcg.is/1FIxci4
Spatial Significance:
1. What does each dot on the map represent? Click on a few dots to see information. 1 mark
2. Does Tim Horton’s only exist in Canada? If not, where else (countries/states) are these restaurants
located? 3 marks
3. How many Tim’s restaurants are there in total?
To find this out you need to open the data table. Click on
in the left upper corner. Click
on the show table button under the label Tim Horton’s locations.
What does this tell us about the coffee preference of Canadians?
2 marks
4. How many Tim’s are there in Lindsay? 1 mark
To find this out type “Lindsay ON” in the
and count.
5. Right now our map is only showing us Tim’s locations. Turn on the layer “Major roads in Canada”.
Zoom into different parts of the map.
To turn on a new layer, click the box beside the layer name
What do you notice about the location of all restaurants in comparison to the location of major
road/highways?
What conclusions can be drawn about the location of Tim’s restaurants?
2 marks
6. Turn off the “Major Roads” layer and turn on the “Canada Population Density 2011” layer. Find a large
cluster of Tim’s locations in a small area anywhere in Canada.
What colour is the background map behind your cluster of Tim’s restaurants?
To find out what a symbol/colour means click on the
What information does this colour represent?
1 mark
tab and find the symbol/colour.
1 mark
What is the relationship between the colour of the background and the number of Tim Horton’s in that
area? 1 mark
7. Summarize in 2-3 sentences, the Spatial Significance of Tim’s Locations in Canada. (Why are Tim’s
located where they are?) 3 marks
Patterns and Trends:
8. Analyze the map of Canada and look for patterns. Where are there high concentrations of Tim Horton
locations and where are there low concentrations? Describe two patterns in the distribution of
restaurants. 2 marks
To answer this question you may refer to specific provinces/territories, relative locations or even cities.
Zoom out to see all of Canada to ensure the pattern is visible on your screen.
1.
2.
Interrelationships:
9. There are 3 layers being compared on this map. When compared to each other there are obvious
connections between layers. Explain three interrelationships that exist.
3 marks
An interrelationship is when one phenomena is influencing another. Interrelationships can be entirely
HUMAN aspects like population density, roads and Tim’s locations or ENVIRONMENTAL like northern
colder landscapes or southern warmer landscapes or both!
Human- Human:
Human- Human:
Human -Environment:
(HINT: Read the box above again if you are unsure how to tackle these interrelationships.)
10. Create a list of factors that determine where a Tim’s restaurant is likely to be located in Canada. 4 marks
11. GIS is a very useful tool for analyzing geographic data. With over 3000 restaurants sometimes it is hard
to see relationships with other layers. Create a “heat map” that turns the individual Tim’s locations
into a density map based on how many other Tim’s are located in the same area.
To make a heat map, click on the “change style” button below the layer name
it from “location, single symbol” to “heat map” and click done. You will now have a new map.
. Change
Explain how this new map layer is more or less useful than the original Tim’s layer that uses individual data
points.
2 marks
Geographic Perspectives:
12. You have been hired by Tim Horton’s to build a new restaurant in an “underserviced” area of Canada.
The previous questions have shown us that Tim Horton’s uses a particular strategy when locating
Tim’s restaurants. Determine the best place for a new Tim’s in Canada and explain the reason for your
choice! Answer in paragraph form.
4 marks
When choosing the location please consider:
A) Potential customers
B) The location of other Tim’s stores
GIS Skills Covered in this Activity:
1. Opening and viewing a data table for a GIS layer.
To find this out you need to open the data table. Click on
C) Accessibility
in the left upper corner. Click on
the show table button under the label Tim Horton’s locations.
2. Finding and reading the map legend.
To find out what a symbol/colour means click on the
3. Creating a heat map from a collection of points in a layer.
tab and find the symbol/colour.
To make a heat map, click on the “change style” button below the layer name
.
Change it from “location, single symbol” to “heat map” and click done. You will now have a new map.