GGR 252H - MARKETING GEOGRAPHY (Fall 2025)

ASSIGNMENT TWO (25%)

THE GEOGRAPHY OF DEMAND

This assignment addresses market demand in census tract neighbourhoods in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). You will first collect and present demographic data on your home census tract, another census tract and the Toronto CMA. Then you will compare and contrast the two census tract neighbourhoods and the CMA. Next, you will consider the neighbourhoods as prospective markets. Finally, you will explore geodemographic applications.

Before you begin, read textbook chapters seven and eight on the geography of demand. Also, consult the appendices in the textbook. Appendix One provides detailed instructions on how to retrieve census data from the Statistics Canada website using your postal code, place name or the census tract number. Appendix Two presents many of the census variables available.

Appendix Three shows the kinds of goods and services purchased by households in Canada. We are using 2021 census data, the latest available.

Read ALL of this assignment and the relevant parts of the textbook before you proceed and BEFORE you ask questions.

PART A: Data collection

Consult Appendix One in the textbook on how to retrieve census tract data on your home census tract using your postal code. This will provide you with your home census tract number. Retrieve the data for your home census tract.

Schedule: Select census areas according to the following schedule:

•    First letter of your surname (last name) A-H: your home census tract, assigned census tract 5350086.00, and the Toronto CMA

•    First letter of your surname (last name) I-O: your home census tract, assigned census tract 5350194.01, and the Toronto CMA

•    First letter of your surname (last name) P-Z: your home census tract, assigned census tract 5350065.02, and the Toronto CMA

[Your ‘home census tract, is where you live presently. If you happen to live in your assigned census tract, use one of the other two census tracts in the schedule as your assigned census tract.]

Go to:https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E

Use the census tract numbers (with extensions) to retrieve the Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profiles for your two assigned neighbourhoods. See Appendix One for detailed instructions on how to do this. After you have retrieved your home census tract, you can use ‘Add a geography, to add the data for your assigned census tract (from the Schedule above).

Also add the data for the Toronto CMA for benchmark (comparison) purposes  - search by place name Toronto at ‘Add a geography, and select•Ior ons(census metropolitan area), ta rio.

This will give you three ‘geographies’ in a table: your home census tract, your assigned census tract (from the schedule above), and the Toronto CMA.

You will see the table contains hundreds of variables which can be overwhelming. You can rationalise your search for the variables you require by clicking on the ‘Add or remove data, option. See the main categories  in the image to the right. Remove all by checking out ‘Select all topics’, then check the boxes of the data that you want. Note you also have the option for ‘Counts’ and ‘Rates’ – use both because the rates will be useful to compare the areas. Be sure to hit ‘Apply, after your selection.

You also have options to download the data and map the census tract. Use the icon beside the census tract number e.g. to map the census tract. The option is towards the top of the page.

Using these various options, study the census data for your two census tracts and the Toronto CMA.

Part B: Data presentation

Create a table and maps as follows.

Table. Using the data from the census tables you have retrieved create your own table that shows for both census tracts and the Toronto CMA the following selected variables: Population 2021; Population change 2016 - 2021 (%); Population density per square kilometre; % Male; % Female (calculate this yourself from counts of male and female); Population by major age groups (% 0-14 yrs., %15-64 yrs., % 65 yrs. and over); Average age of the population; Average household  size; 1 person households (count & %); Single-detached house (%); Apartment in a building that has five or more storeys (%); Average total income of household 2020; Household total income - $200,000 or more (count and %); Total visible minority population (%);  Immigrants (%); No certificate, diploma or degree (%); Bachelor’s degree or higher (%); Marital status – Not married and not living common law (count). Also, from the ‘Commuting’ topic under ‘Main mode of commuting’: ‘Car, truck, van – as a driver’ and ‘Public transit – both as % data’ . Additionally, the first and second most frequent ‘Ethnic or cultural origin’ – count and %. Finally, the first and second most frequently ‘Language most spoken at home’ – count and %.

Place maps for both your census tracts on the title page of your assignment. Map your census tracts as per instructions above and in Appendix One. Once you have your census tract map select ‘View pdf’ and then click on the census tract number to get a clearer image. You can copy the maps from the Statistics Canada website by using Techsmith Snagit or screenshots (or some other capture software if you have it). If using screenshots, enable full screen first (right-click on  the graph to get a menu). As a UofT student you can download Techsmith Snagit free from student resources. When using Snagit: use the ‘Image’ and ‘Region’ options; click ‘Capture’ and pull out a region over the map you want to copy. Right-click the resulting image, select copy and then paste into your document. You will likely have to reduce the size of each map to fit both on your title page – right-click the image of the map in your document to get the ‘Size and position’ menu. You may also have to right-click the image and select ‘Tight” to move the images around your title page.

Part C: Discussion

Using the information you have collected, compare and contrast the two census tract neighbourhoods. Are there ways in which the variables appear to be related? To what extent do the variables combine together to produce a distinctive market area? Identify one more variable from each census tract neighbourhood (so, two variables in total) that you think is distinctive.

Give the value for each variable and say why you think it is distinctive in each particular neighbourhood (comparing to the Toronto CMA may help).

Using relevant data you have collected above, briefly comment on the relative prospects of people in your two census tracts being a market for: a luxury automobile; transit pass; ‘ethnic’ themed food; private schools; ESL classes; dating services; and payday loans.

Part D: Geodemographics

In this section, you will briefly explore the extent that segmentation packages used in geodemographics add to the census tract analysis you conducted above.

First, provide a brief one-paragraph description of the neighbourhood you live in as you perceive it. Do not use data in your description.

Next, read the background to geodemographics in the textbook (section 8.11). Then go to the Environics PRIZM application: PRIZM® Postal Code Lookup Demo | Environics Analytics - and use postal codes to get the segment (lifestyle) group for your home census tract and your assigned census tract in the Schedule above. The postal codes for the census tracts above are shown below (you know your own postal code).

An example of the description of a segment and some of the descriptors of the segment are below:

Populate the following table with the information you have collected (and include it with your assignment).

Using the information from your table answer:

•    Da) Briefly comment on the extent to which the descriptors from PRIZM for your census tract areas complement or contradict your findings in Parts B and C above.

•    Db) Briefly comment on the weaknesses of both the census analysis and the segmentation approach.

•    Dc) To what extent does the descriptive paragraph under ‘WHO THEY ARE’ in PRIZM match your description of your own neighbourhood as you perceived it? Provide in  appendix to your assignment both your perceptual description and a copy of the description from PRIZM.

•    Dd) Create your own catchy descriptor for the segment you live in (do not use the one from PRIZM).

[If you happen to live in your assigned census tract, use one of the other two census tracts in the original Schedule as your assigned census tract.]

The written component of this assignment (exclusive of table and your neighbourhood summary description in Part D) should be approximately 6 type-written pages (but it is possible to do a good job in less). Use 12-point font, double-spaced. The text in your main table can be 11-point.

Do not exceed six pages. Ensure your student number, tutorial number and your name are on your title page.

Keep in mind the following in your discussion:

•    The work must be your own. The writing and analysis should be original and based on the information and data you have collected and presented. It is not necessary to go to secondary sources other than the textbook, lectures and PRIZM descriptors. The only primary data source necessary is the census data.

•    Use appropriate specific information that you have collected and presented in your maps and tables to support the observations you make.

•    Compare the two census tract areas directly.

DUE DATE: Your assignment must be submitted in Quercus by 11:59 pm, Thursday, November 6 (Eastern Time) – note this is later than the original schedule.

The file name that you upload should include your name, student number and tutorial group number.

Late penalties apply. Late penalty: up to one week late 15%; not accepted thereafter without documented good cause.