Rural Birth Rate

Question

I have a patron looking for birth rate statistics for Canadian rural areas.  I've looked through ESTAT and the Census webpages with no joy.  Am I missing something?

Answer

1) Figure 2.6 in the publication, "Demographic Changes in Canada from 1971
to 2001 across an Urban-to-Rural Gradient" shows the
total fertility rate for rural and urban areas from 1971 to 2001.  The
publication is available at:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91f0015m/91f0015m2007008-eng.htm

These rates were based on Census data.

The online publication, "Births" (84F0210X) contains a section on fertility but doesn't
break out the differences between urban and rural.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/84f0210x/2006000/5201672-eng.htm

The data source for this publication is the Births Database in Vital
Statistics.

The General Social Survey's Family Cycle (c20 is the latest) provides
some fertility data.  The public use file has a variable (LUC_RSTC) indicating
rural/urban residence, but only for Quebec, Ontario and B.C.

2) For Quebec, you can have birth rate statistics by regions through the Institut de la statistique du Québec Web Site.
http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/regions/profils/region_00/region_00.htm

If you follow this link, you will get a map and then will be able to click on each region, click on "demographie" and then on "taux de natalité".

I would be surprised these data not being available for other provinces.

3) There may be a specific reason why the individual is looking for birth rate, and, if that is the case, as indicated, births will be reported in the provinces' vital statistics.  Here is one link that should take you to the vital stats for each province.
http://canadaonline.about.com/od/vitalstatistics/Vital_Statistics_Offices_in_Canada.htm].

However, I wonder how reliably "birth rate" for a specific provincial geopolitical area[i.e. county] in a province can be translated into "rural". I think there may be a problem if provincial registrar's haven't categorized birth data as "rural/nonrural" now and through time. I don't think they have. As well, there would be a problem with definition.

Bollman's and Clemenson's working paper published late last year may be useful for definitions and data:
http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collection_2008/statcan/21-601-M/21-601-m2008090-eng.pdf

For subprovincial areas, the researcher may wish to look at census figures over a given period, ages 0-4, for CDs, for example.

4) I haven't paid close attention to this so I hope what I have to say is relevant; if I'm off-topic, I apologize for jumping in.  Anyhow, I think it's important to realize that many of the births in the urban areas would have occurred in the rural area, if facilities and personnel were in place to provide this service.