The Atlas of Canada - Canada’s Land Cover Interactive Map

Mapping Canada’s Land Coverapping Canada’s Land Cover

The Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO) has used satellite imagery to create a land cover map of Canada at a resolution of 30 metres. This map is part of the 2010 Land Cover Map of North America, produced by Canada, the United States, and Mexico under the North American Land Change Monitoring System (NALCMS). The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) facilitated the project. This is the first of a series of maps, with plans for updates at least every five years.

Using remote sensing to accurately describe physical qualities of Canada is vital to understanding our natural resources. Land cover classes describe the physical surface of the ground and include the make-up of vegetation, urban infrastructure, water, and bare soil. Land cover mapping supports land-management strategies for environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Tracking how land cover changes over time is necessary for natural resources management, policy, and planning. It is also important for a range of environmental applications, such as climate change impact monitoring, emergency response, and wildlife habitat mapping.