Resources & Industries Overview

Resources & Industries

• Resources are anything used to make goods and services, including raw materials, workers, money, and land
• Natural resources are found in nature, like air, water, crude oil, and trees
• Renewable resources can be replaced, such as trees, crops, and natural fish supplies
• Non-renewable resources are limited and cannot be replaced quickly, such as minerals (gold, iron, nickel), and fossil fuels (coal, petroleum)
• Flow resources are replaced by natural forces, like fresh water flowing through streams and rivers
• Managing resources includes taking care of them, such as forestry management and fisheries management
• Industry is a group of companies working together in a specific business area

Types of Industries

• Primary Industries: Extract raw materials from the environment, including forestry, fishing, mining, and agriculture
• Secondary Industries: Process raw materials into products for consumers, such as automobiles, furniture, and portable technology
• Tertiary Industries: Focused on service industries for consumers, including car dealerships, retail stores, and real estate agencies
• Quaternary Industries: Knowledge-based parts of the economy, like IT, research, consultation, and information sharing

Total Stock & Carrying Capacity

• Total stock includes all parts of the natural environment, both living and non-living materials
• Carrying capacity is the environment's ability to support a population without causing damage
• Sustainability improves the quality of human life while staying within the environment's carrying capacity

Specific Industries: Forestry and Fishing

• Forestry Industry: Old-growth forests, characterized by trees that have lived for centuries and an ecosystem that has developed over long periods, are never logged. These forests provide crucial habitats for diverse wildlife species, contribute to air and water quality, and serve important cultural and recreational functions. Canada boasts vast forested areas, covering approximately 347 million hectares, which represent about 38% of the country’s landmass. Protecting these old-growth forests is vital for biodiversity and climate stabilization.
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council): This internationally recognized third-party organization focuses on promoting responsible management of the world’s forests through certification. The FSC's rigorous certification process ensures that forestry operations adhere to stringent social, environmental, and economic standards, thus supporting sustainable practices that protect ecosystems and communities alike.
• Fishing Industry: Approximately 80,000 individuals are employed in the commercial fishing sector across Canada, demonstrating the significant role this industry plays in the economy. Additionally, around 315,000 people are engaged in agriculture, highlighting the interconnectedness of these two vital sectors. The fishing industry is essential not only for economic reasons but also for the cultural heritage it upholds, particularly in regions such as Atlantic Canada and parts of British Columbia, where communities have relied on fishing as a primary source of sustenance and livelihood for generations.
• Fishing serves as a cornerstone of the local economy in these areas, supporting not only those directly involved in fishing but also associated industries like processing, transportation, and retail.

Fresh Water

• Precipitation: Water falling to Earth in various forms (rain, snow, etc.)
• Stores: Locations where water is held (oceans, lakes, groundwater, etc.)
• Flows: Movement of water between different stores
• Groundwater: Water held underground in soil and rock
• Extraction: Taking water from a store for use
• Consumption: Using water without returning it to the store
• Drainage Basin: The area of land where water flows to a common body of water

Global Water Stores

• Oceans hold the largest quantities of water (97%)
• Ice and snow represent 2%
• Groundwater makes up 1%

Water Supply Systems

• Water supply failures can have serious consequences, such as the 2000 Walkerton, Ontario incident, where a deadly outbreak of E. coli bacteria contaminated the local drinking water supply, resulting in the illness of approximately 2,300 people and leading to seven fatalities. This tragic event highlighted the critical importance of maintaining safe and reliable water systems and the potential health risks associated with negligence.
• Drinking water advisories have impacted thousands of Canadians over the years, often arising from contamination issues, aging infrastructure, or natural disasters, forcing communities to be vigilant and take precautionary measures to ensure public health and safety during such crises.

Fossil Fuels & Mining

• Canada's oil, natural gas, and coal are crucial sources of energy
• Oil extraction is found in BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan
• Large-scale energy demand sectors are mostly industrial, transportation, and residential use.
• Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves injecting high-pressure fluid into underground rock formations to release natural gas. This technique has sparked considerable debate due to its potential for economic benefits and significant environmental concerns, including groundwater contamination and seismic activity.

Minerals

• Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances
• Metallic minerals contain metals like iron or gold.
• Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals
• Mineral reserves are profitable deposits that can be mined.
• Ore contains enough valuable metal for profitable mining.

Mining Methods

• Strip Mining: Inexpensive method for near-surface minerals (sand, gravel, coal) with big environmental impacts.
• Open-Pit Mining: More expensive and extracts minerals closer to the surface but deeper than strip mining
• Underground Mining: Expensive, extracting minerals far below the surface
• Value from mining is highest in Ontario (gold) and Quebec (gold)

Secondary Industries and Trade

• NAFTA, CUSMA, USMCA, CETA: Trade agreements influencing Canada’s trade and economy
• Basic Jobs: Bring money into an economy from elsewhere
• Non-Basic Jobs: Circulate money within an economy
• Multiplier Effect: Growth in wealth and income from new money injection
• Free Trade, Tariffs: International trade without barriers or taxes on imported products.