A factor analysis of social area space : metropolitan Winnipeg, 1951-1961

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to provide a geographic analysis of metropolitan Winnipeg's social space and the changes which altered it in the course of the decade between 1951 and 1961. In particular, this study examined the seven social area dimensions extracted from the data sets utilizing a principal factor solution with quartimax iteration. It was assumed that the factor scores incorporated in a synagraphic mapping technique would give adequate areal expression to each social area dimension. The factor scores for 1951, 1961 and the change data were dependent on information pertaining to metropolitan Winnipeg's census tracts provided by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Conclusions resulting from the analysis were of two types: the first stemmed from the ecological structure of the dimensions; the second reflected the areal expression of these same dimensions. The former conclusions included the increased relative and absolute value of family status and economic status, the increased absolute but relatively stable values of migrant status and household status, and the relative and absolute decline in ethnic status. The most important dimensions of change included economic status, life style and migrant status. There may have been a slight increase in the differentiation of Winnipeg's ecological structure. The second set of conclusions were entirely dependent on cartographic analysis. Each of the five shared dimensions exhibited some degree of spatial regularity in 1951 and 1961...These results support the supposition that urban space can be effectively mapped to display the ecological fabric of metropolitan Winnipeg.