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What are CMAs?

What are CMAs?

A Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is a large Canadian urban area and its surroundings, defined by population and social-economic integration.

Samuel Jones avatar
Written by Samuel Jones
Updated over 3 months ago

NOTICE: Based on the Fall Economic Statement in 2024, CRA is currently making updates for April 2025. Please check back for updates.

What Defines a CMA?

  • Population: Must have at least 100,000 people, with at least 50,000 in the urban core

  • Integration: Includes surrounding municipalities where residents commute to the core for work or share economic and social ties

Where Are CMAs in Canada?

Canada has 41 designated CMAs, including:

NOTICE: List below is incomplete. Based on the Fall Economic Statement in 2024, CRA is currently making updates for April 2025. Please check back for updates.

  • Alberta

    • Calgary CMA

      • Airdrie

      • Beiseker

      • Calgary

      • Chestermere

      • Cochrane

      • Crossfield

      • Irricana

      • Rocky View County

      • Tsuu T'ina Nation 145

  • Edmonton CMA

    • Alexander 134

    • Beaumont

    • Betula Beach

    • Bon Accord

    • Bruderheim

    • Calmar

    • Devon

    • Edmonton

    • Enoch Cree Nation

    • Fort Saskatchewan

    • Gibbons

    • Golden Days

    • Itaska Beach

    • Kapasiwin

    • Lakeview

    • Leduc

    • Leduc County

    • Legal

    • Morinville

    • Parkland County

    • Point Alison

    • Redwater

    • Seba Beach

    • Spring Lake

    • Spruce Grove

    • St. Albert

    • Stony Plain

    • Strathcona County

    • Sturgeon County

    • Sundance Beach

    • Thorsby

    • Wabamun 133A

    • Wabamun 133B

    • Warburg

  • Lethbridge

    • Barons

    • Coaldale

    • Coalhurst

    • Lethbridge

    • Lethbridge County

    • Nobleford

    • Picture Butte

  • Manitoba

    • Winnipeg

      • Brokenhead 4

      • East St. Paul

      • Headingley

      • Macdonald

      • Ritchot

      • Rosser

      • Springfield

      • St. Clements

      • St. François Xavier

      • Taché

      • West St. Paul

      • Winnipeg

  • New Brunswick

    • Moncton

      • Coverdale

      • Dieppe

      • Dorchester

      • Elgin

      • Fort Folly 1

      • Hillsborough

      • Hopewell

      • Memramcook

      • Moncton

      • Riverview

      • Saint-Paul

      • Salisbury

    • Saint John

      • Grand Bay-Westfield

      • Greenwich

      • Hampton

      • Kingston

      • Lepreau

      • Musquash

      • Norton

      • Petersville

      • Quispamsis

      • Rothesay

      • Saint John

      • Saint Martins

      • Simonds

      • St. Martins

      • Upham

      • Westfield

  • Newfoundland & Labrador

    • St. John's

      • Bauline

      • Bay Bulls

      • Conception Bay South

      • Flatrock

      • Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove

      • Mount Pearl

      • Paradise

      • Petty Harbour– Maddox Cove

      • Portugal Cove– St. Philip's

      • Pouch Cove

      • St. John’s

      • Torbay

      • Witless Bay

  • Nova Scotia

    • Halifax

      • Beaver Lake 17

      • Cole Harbour 30

      • Halifax

      • Sheet Harbour 36

      • Shubenacadie 13

      • Wallace Hills 14A

  • Ontario

    • Barrie

      • Barrie

      • Innisfil

      • Springwater

    • Belleville

      • Belleville

      • Quinte West

      • Stirling-Rawdon

      • Tyendinaga

    • Brantford

      • Brant

      • Brantford

      • Six Nations (Part) 40

    • Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury

      • Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury

      • Markstay-Warren

      • Wahnapitei 11

      • Whitefish Lake 6

    • Guelph

      • Guelph

      • Guelph/Eramosa

      • Puslinch

    • Hamilton

      • Burlington

      • Grimsby

      • Hamilton

    • Kingston

      • Frontenac Islands

      • Kingston

      • Loyalist

      • South Frontenac

    • Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo

      • Cambridge

      • Kitchener

      • North Dumfries

      • Waterloo

      • Wilmot

      • Woolwich

    • London

      • Adelaide-Metcalfe

      • Central Elgin

      • London

      • Middlesex Centre

      • Southwold

      • Strathroy-Caradoc

      • St. Thomas

      • Thames Centre

    • Oshawa

      • Clarington

      • Oshawa

      • Whitby

    • Ottawa - Gatineau (Ontario part)

      • Clarence-Rockland

      • North Grenville

      • Ottawa

      • Russell

    • Peterborough

      • Cavan Monaghan

      • Curve Lake First Nation 35

      • Douro-Dummer

      • Hiawatha First Nation

      • Otonabee-South Monaghan

      • Peterborough

      • Selwyn

    • St. Catharines - Niagara

      • Fort Erie

      • Lincoln

      • Niagara Falls

      • Niagara-on-the-Lake

      • Pelham

      • Port Colborne

      • St. Catharines

      • Thorold

      • Wainfleet

      • Welland

    • Thunder Bay

      • Conmee

      • Fort William 52

      • Gillies

      • Neebing

      • O'Connor

      • Oliver Paipoonge

      • Shuniah

      • Thunder Bay

    • Toronto

      • Ajax

      • Aurora

      • Bradford West Gwillimbury

      • Brampton

      • Caledon

      • Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation

      • East Gwillimbury

      • Georgina

      • Halton Hills

      • King, Markham

      • Milton

      • Mississauga

      • Mono

      • Newmarket

      • New Tecumseth

      • Oakville

      • Orangeville

      • Pickering

      • Richmond Hill

      • Toronto

      • Uxbridge

      • Vaughan

      • Whitchurch-Stouffville

    • Windsor

      • Amherstburg

      • Lakeshore

      • LaSalle

      • Tecumseh

      • Windsor

  • Prince Edward Island (PEI)

    • All CCR recipients in Prince Edward Island are eligible for the rural supplement and are already receiving the 20% increase as part of their basic amount.

Why Are CMAs Important to the CRA?

  • Data and Program Analysis: CMAs help the CRA analyze population trends and design programs tailored to urban populations

  • Regional Tax Adjustments: Some tax credits or benefits may vary based on cost of living in CMAs compared to smaller regions

  • Government Policy: Used to allocate resources and funding for urban areas

For a full list of CMAs, their boundaries and maps, visit the Statistics Canada website.

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