Changing Boundaries: Sorting Space,Class, Ethnicity and Race in Ontario*

This essay examines the components of space, class, ethnicity and race. The focus is on the Ontario urban system, including Toronto, Ottawa‐Hull, Hamilton and London. The emphasis is on how social class, ethnicity and race influence spatial residential differentiation. Toronto appears as a “Visible Minority” type. London follows an early British/Loyalist type, Hamilton an industrial blue‐collar type, and Thunder Bay a northwestern fringe. Urban areas in Ontario seem to serve a variety of functions, in line with Innis's conception of a core, semi‐core and fringe. Toronto acts as a magnet for immigrants. London is located in the agricultural base, Hamilton is a supplier of industrial jobs, and Thunder Bay provides staples supporting northern populations. Moreover, ethnicity and race are crucial indicators of boundaries, which must be accounted for in understanding urban communities.