1. The National Topographic System (NTS)
(NE corner of BC)

2. Use of NTS maps and data Base mapping for all Canada
Background for general and thematic mapping
Base map for mobile applications e.g. GPS
Digital data for GIS analysis and mapping

3. National topographic map series 1906: Early twentieth century
1:63, ” to 1 mile
1:126, ” to 2 miles
1:190, ” to 3 miles
1925: Design of NTS
1:50, cm to 0.5 km
1:250,000 1cm to 2.5 km
Metric in full use after 1945
1947: Mission to complete mapping of Canada at the two scales
…..enabled by post-war aerial photography (completed 2012)
1995: greater focus on providing data than printing maps

4. Canada is divided into 1:1,000,000 sheets, 8 ° longitude x 4 ° latitude, completed 1960

5. 1:1,000,000 maps are divided into (16) 1:250,000 sheets (2 x 1 degree), completed 1970

6. The National Topographic System (NTS)
Coordinate grid squares every 10km on a printed 1:250,000 map sheet

7. … then into 16 x 1:50,000 (A-P), provinces complete ~1994 (not the Territories)

8. Prince George Map sheet / tile 93G015 2000 printed / scanned

9. Zoom online into 1:50,000 map detail http://atlas. gc
The National Topographic DataBase (NTDB) is the digital equivalent of the printed maps - download from

10. The last ‘map spike’ 2012: NTS 1:50,000 059H12 Pyramid Peak
Sept 2010

11. Declination: difference between true and magnetic north
There are 3 ‘Norths’ The compass points to the magnetic north pole, not the  'true' north pole or grid north
The difference between magnetic north and true north is the declination
This map shows lines of equal declination (isogones)

12. The location of the magnetic north pole, by date
the magnetic north pole left Canada in 2005, heading NW towards Siberia, at 40km / year

13. 1:1,000,000 aeronautical maps

14. 1:500,000 aeronautical maps

15. BC: Canada’s most mountainous province TRIM (Terrain Resource Inventory Management) provincial mapping started in 1980, completed by 1995

16. Based on NTS
Each 1: is 1 degree latitude by 2 degrees longitude. Subdivided into 100 TRIM tiles  mapped at 1:20,000 Total # map tiles = 7027

17. Each (NTS) 1:250,000 sheet is divided into 100 TRIM map ‘tiles’ e. g
Each (NTS) 1:250,000 sheet is divided into 100 TRIM map ‘tiles’ e.g. if this is sheet 93G, the tile in bold is 93G023 Each 1: TRIM sheet is 6’ latitude by 12’ longitude.
BC printed 1:20,000 maps (all 7027) are available from

18. Topographic map and data summary
NTS Printed maps are in the Weller Library (and some in GIS Lab)
Can be ordered online, not available at stores in PG
Online scanned maps and map layers are at:
Map viewer:
BC TRIM data are downloadable from GeoBC and the GIS Lab
GeoBC – by area of interest; GIS Lab by mapsheet
NTS and TRIM maps are available for GPS / mobiles
Scanned maps, and digital map layers are available for many countries

19. Topographic map and data – other countries

20. Topographic map and data – other countries