DCHP-3

north of 60

DCHP-2 (Jul 2016)

Spelling variants:
north of sixty, North of 60

n. — Geography

the area north of the sixtieth parallel north, comprising the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Type: 5. Frequency — The term evolved from its use in navigation as a reference to latitude (see, e.g. the 1821 quotation by Captain James Cook in which he refers to Pacific North America). The expression has become lexicalized, that is, "degrees of latitude" is dropped from the phase as understood. Chart 1 shows the term's dominance in Canada. In the light of Canada's status as an Arctic nation (see Grace 2007 for a historical-cultural account of the impact of the notion of "north" on Canada's development), this boundary has acquired important cultural salience, so much so that a 1990s TV series was named after the term. DCHP-1 lists 19 noun compounds beginning in Arctic, such as Arctic officer, which is linked below.
See also COD-2, s.v. "north of 60", which is marked "Cdn informal", and OED-3, s.v. "north"(1.d 'north of 60'), which is marked "Canad. colloq.".
Although north of 60 may seem to some as quite informal, the expression is a quite well established standard variant in Canadian English.

Quotations

1821
[To the North of 60°, the sea is in a manner destitute of small fish of every kind but then whales are more numerous.]
1878
This extract showed that this country north of 60 degrees parallel, the northern boundary of British Columbia and 958 miles north-east of Bute Inlet, was a good country for growing all kinds of cereals.
1899
In Support of this view it is worth mentioning that in the thrid week of July I saw wheat, oats and barley growing from some accidently spilt grain on the boarders of lake Marsh, that is in a latitude somewhat north of 60.
1977
This is typical of the view of Canada as perceived south of 60. When the development of the North is contemplated, we become part of Canada, and Canadians from east to west, along the southern border seem to know what we want, what is best for us. However, when it comes down to everyday facts of life, like paying a power bill, Canada seems to vanish north of 60.
1983
But because of cutbacks resulting from recent operating losses, Mr. Clarke said "less money is being spent North of 60 (60 degrees north latitude), unless there is an attractive goal."
1999
Though Peter McGuire, one of the founders of the American Federation of Labour, has traditionally been known as the 'Father of Labour Day,' evidence indicates that he got his ideas north of 60.
2007
We lived north of 60 in the years when our children were small, and I can tell you that in June, bedtime was a word that was dropped from our vocabulary.
2015
The Biggest Little City North of 60
For four centuries, Kuukpak, located in the Western Arctic along the Mackenzie River, was the richest, busiest summer settlement around.

References

Images

Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 9 May 2014 (filtering a TV show by the same name)

Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 9 May 2014 (filtering a TV show by the same name)