HOW DOES CANADA POWER
THE NORTH?
Why is this topic important?
The environment in North poses challenges to energy resource exploration and development. As a
result, most northern communities in Canada receive their energy supply through imports. This
includes fuel oil or propane for heating and diesel for transportation and electricity. Canada’s North,
the communities and the role energy plays is important for all Canadian students to understand. It
emphasizes the importance of energy in our daily lives and how geography is connected to it.
How to introduce this topic to students:
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Label the landform regions of Canada and discuss how geographic landscape influences our
lives. For younger students, create a Venn diagram. For older students, divide students into
groups, one for each major landform region (Cordillera, Interior Plains, Canadian Shield,
Great Lakes–St. Lawrence, Appalachian, and Arctic) to create a visual representation of
Canada’s major features. How does this influence energy production, transportation and
development?
Create a timeline of your everyday activities. How is energy involved? Create a timeline for
someone in the North. How is energy use/demand different?
Research new, innovative technology being developed in the energy industry. Do any of
these new technologies address energy issues in the North?
Contact a school in a northern community and have your class write letters asking about
their energy use, lifestyle and culture.
Explore how successful renewable resources (wind, solar, biomass) are in the North.
Additional resources:
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Canadian Geographic: www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
National Energy Board: www.neb-one.gc.ca
Battle for the Arctic:
www.cbc.ca/documentaries/doczone/2009/battleforthearctic/index.html
The Nature of Things:
www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2009/arcticmeltdown/index.html
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers: www.capp.ca
Government of Canada: www.science.gc.ca
Canadian Atlas Online, “Canadian landforms”:
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=canadianlandforms&lang=En
Curriculum links to the National Standards of Geography
Essential
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Element 2: Places and Regions
Physical and human characteristics of places and regions
How culture affects places and regions (e.g. cultural landscapes)
Political and historical characteristics of regions
Regional analysis of geographic issues and questions.
Essential Element 4: Human Systems
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Population characteristics of the province and Canada (e.g. density, distribution, growth
rate)
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Global economic interdependence (trade, commerce and communication)
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Cooperation and conflict in the division and control of Earth’s surface.
Essential
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Element 5: Environment and Society
Renewable (land, forests, water) and non-renewable (minerals, fossil fuels) resources
World patterns of resource distribution and utilization
Global effects of human modification of the physical environment
Essential Element 6: The Uses of Geography
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Spatial dimensions of geographical problems
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Local, regional, and world policies and problems with spatial dimensions