What Is the Climate of the Canadian Shield?

climate-canadian-shield Credit: Don Johnston/All Canada Photos/Getty Images

The Canadian Shield, a northern region constituting almost half of Canada, has a cold, dry climate characterized by Arctic winds, heavy snowfall during the winter, cool, short summers in the north and warm summers in the south. The region gets around 18 inches of rain each year.

The region's climate is intimately tied to its topography, which has many exposed and rocky areas. The region has numerous pine forests and sand dunes, the perfect habitat for unique plant life.

Some of the region's natural resources include timber, such as maple, birch, aspen, fir and spruce; water from rivers and lakes created by long-retreated glaciers; and minerals, such as titanium, uranium, copper, iron, nickel, gold, zinc, silver, platinum and diamonds.