Geospatial Data and Digital Resources

Map of Downtown London

The Map and Data Centre currently holds or has access to a wealth of geospatial data, ranging from very detailed local data to worldwide sources.

Data must be requested in person at the Map and Data Centre service desk and a release agreement must be signed. Western students, staff, and faculty will be required to present a valid Western ONECard to gain access to the data. Western students, staff, and faculty may also copy requested resources to a data storage device (ex. USB or external HD) for research or teaching use outside of the library.

The Map and Data Centre has workstations equipped with ArcGIS, QGIS and other software to explore/manipulate the data. Free online ArcGIS training via the ESRI Virtual Campus is available through the ArcGIS Site License for the Western community.

Please visit the Scholars GeoPortal website for a wide variety of Ontario and Canada geospatial data and imagery. For a listing of online databases, see our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Research Guide.

Book a GIS Appointment

You can book an appointment with a GIS Technical Specialist by emailing rsclib@uwo.ca.

Local and Regional

The following list outlines all available locally/regionally produced geospatial data held at the Map and Data Centre.

City of London (7)

London Building Heights
RMSI Global 2012
Outlines of built-up structures (with height attributes), Digital Terrain Model (with elevations of land and water), and various vector data related to land use and land cover.
London Digital Mapping Data and Orthoimagery
City of London 2001 - 2016
Vector data (1:2,000) themes include topographic features (contours and spot heights), building footprints, roads, water, vegetation, etc.
Very detailed 15 to 17cm pixel resolution orthoimages clipped to the London municipal boundary. CAD format and Digital Elevation Models (DEM) available for years 2001 - 2016.
London (North East) IKONOS Satellite Imagery
Space Imaging Inc. 2004
Very detailed 1m to 4m pixel resolution satellite imagery of the north east portion of the city from the Western campus to the London International Airport.
London Planning Districts
City of London 2008
Vector dataset which shows the 2008 boundaries of the 42 planning districts for the City of London.
Medway Creek LIDAR Data
Western University 2006
Raw flightline/tile elevation data for the Medway Creek area. Includes a very detailed 1 metre pixel resolution bare earth DEM - processed and mosaicked by Western Libraries.
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Flood and Regulation Limits (Western University Clip)
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority 2007
Flood data include cross sections, 100 year flood elevations, 250 year flood elevations and UTRCA regulation limits. Data has been clipped to the immediate area of Western University
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Orthoimagery
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority 2000
Detailed 30cm pixel resolution orthoimage mosaic clipped to the UTRCA watershed boundary at a scale of 1:10,000.

Regional (17)

Central Ontario Orthophotography Project (COOP) 2016
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) 2016
High resolution orthoimagery and elevation products for central Ontario
City of Greater Sudbury Orthoimagery 2008
50 cm orthoimagery for the Sudbury area
Digital Raster Acquisition Project Eastern Ontario (DRAPE) 2014
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) 2014
High resolution elevation products for eastern Ontario
Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) Vector and Raster GIS Data
Grand River Conservation Authority 2006
Detailed hydrologic and management vector and raster data for the GRCA watershed area. Themes include floodplains, slope erosion hazards, landcover, digital elevation models, etc.
Great Lakes Bathymetry
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2005
Bathymetric layers for the Great Lakes
Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Orthoimagery
J. D. Barnes First Base Solutions 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2013
Very detailed 20cm pixel resolution colour orthoimage (MrSID) mosaics based on an airphoto scale of 1:10,000.
Greenbelt Plan GIS Data
Ontario Ministries of Natural Resources, and Municipal Affairs and Housing 2005
Boundary and Natural Heritage System area delineation for the Greenbelt based on the Ontario Greenbelt Act.
Hamilton Digital Orthoimagery
City of Hamilton 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2009
Very detailed 12cm to 20cm pixel resolution colour orthoimages clipped to the Hamilton municipal boundary.
Hamilton GIS Vector Data
City of Hamilton 2006 and 2009
Detailed topographic and planning vector data. Themes include contours and escarpment area, building footprints, roads, water, planning units, etc.
Lambton County Orthoimagery
J. D. Barnes First Base Solutions 2002
30cm pixel resolution colour tiled orthoimages.
Niagara Escarpment Plan GIS Data
Niagara Escarpment Commission 2006
Detailed planning and landscape evaluation vector data for the Niagara Escarpment control area.
Niagara Region Vector and Orthoimagery Data
Niagara Region 2006
A comprehensive dataset which includes roads, lots and concessions, building footprints, government facilities and more. Includes 1m resolution orthoimagery of entire region.
  • Available by request at the Map and Data Centre
Ottawa Region Digital Orthoimagery
City of Ottawa and National Capital Commission (NCC) 1994/1998 and 2005
20cm pixel resolution orthoimages clipped to the Ottawa municipal boundary at a scale of 1:15,000.
Ottawa Region Vector Data
City of Ottawa and National Capital Commission (NCC) Various Years
1:2,000, 1:10,000 and 1:25,000 scale topographic vector data for the Ottawa/Gatineau Region. Themes include contours, vegetation, roads, etc.
Places to Grow: GIS Files for the Built Boundary for the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal 2006
Detailed "built boundary" vector data for the Greater Golden Horseshoe area.
South Central Ontario Orthoimagery Project (SCOOP)
J. D. Barnes First Base Solutions; Ontario MNR 2002 and 2013
20 to 50cm pixel resolution colour orthoimages.
(Simcoe, Victoria, Peterborough, Northumberland, Prince Edward, Hastings, Haliburton, Muskoka, and parts of Parry Sound and Nipissing)
Southwestern Ontario Orthoimagery Project (SWOOP)
J. D. Barnes First Base Solutions; Ontario MNR 2006 and 2010
30cm pixel resolution colour orthoimages of Southwestern Ontario.
(Essex, Kent, Lambton, Huron, Middlesex, Elgin, Bruce, Grey, Perth, Oxford, Dufferin, Wellington, Waterloo, Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk, Hamilton-Wentworth, Niagara, and Halton)
Teranet Province of Ontario Land Information System (POLARIS)
Teranet 2014
Property boundary parcels for the Regional Municipalities / Counties of Middlesex, Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Huron, Oxford, Perth and Elgin. Other counties available on request.
Three-dimensional mapping of surficial deposits in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Ontario Geological Survey 2007
Three-dimensional distribution and character of surficial aquifers and aquitards within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in southwestern Ontario

Ontario-Wide

The following list outlines all Ontario focused geospatial datasets held at or accessible to the Map and Data Centre.

Base Mapping / Topographic Data (4)

Digital Cartographic Reference Base (DCRB) 2.0 and 3.0
Ontario Ministry of Transportation 1999, 2001
1:100,000 scale data for the Official Road Map of Ontario and Transportation Mapping Interface. Example themes include roads, rivers, car pool lots airports, border crossings, etc.
  • DCRB 2.0 and 3.0 are available at the Map and Data Centre
OGDE: Fundamental Dataset
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Various Years
Very detailed 1:10,000 (Southern Ontario) and 1:20,000 (Northern Ontario) scale vector data for all of Ontario, divided by MNR Regions (3) or Districts (26). This dataset replaces the Ontario Base Map data. Themes include building footprints and points, roads, rivers, vegetation, DTM, etc.
Ontario Municipal Boundaries
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 2005
Ontario municipal boundary files current as of 2005. Upper tier, single tier, and districts available.
Provincial Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 2002, 2006, and 2013
The Provincial DEM is designed to represent true ground elevation across the Province.

Thematic Data (7)

An Electronic Atlas of Great Lakes Ice Cover Winters: 1973 - 2002
Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory 1973 - 2002
The original ice chart data set consists of over 1200 digitized ice charts. Three in-depth analysis products are also available.
Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) 2007-2011
The Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) is an extensive survey of the forest resources of Ontario. Exists in both vector and raster formats.
Great Lakes Hydrography Dataset (GLHD) 2004-2012
Stream networks, reach catchments, and watershed boundaries for the Great Lakes basin
OGDE: Provincial Land Cover
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 2002
28-Class land cover data for southwestern Ontario.
Ontario Geoscience Data
Ontario Geological Survey Various Years
Data for mining claims, geology (surficial, bedrock, physiography, overburden thickness, etc.), and administrative boundaries
Soil Types of Southern Ontario
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Various Years
Soil type data for most of Southern Ontario. Includes information on soil type, steepness, stoniness, drainage, and texture. Scales vary by County/Region.
Wind Resource Information
Hélimax Energy Inc. 2005
The dataset describes several types of wind information for Ontario including 100m gridded wind power and wind density coverage at 5 vertical levels of 10m, 30m, 50m, 80m and 100m above ground level.

Satellite Imagery (2)

OGDE: Landsat 5 Satellite Imagery
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 1984-1995
Scenes range from 1984 to 1995. Available in false colour bands (4,3,2) only. Resolution: 30m resampled to 25m
OGDE: Landsat 7 Satellite Imagery
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 1999-2001
Scenes range from May to November (1999 to 2001). Available in true (bands 1,2,3) and false colour (bands 4,3,2). Resolution: True colour 15m, FC infrared 30m

Other Provinces and Territories

The following list outlines all provincially (excluding Ontario) focused/produced geospatial datasets held at or accessible to the Map and Data Centre.

Base Mapping / Topographic Data (2)

Northwest Territories, Canada: Digital Atlas
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada 2002
Contains biotic, abiotic, and cultural information acquired from government, industry, and indigenous organizations in addition to the maps and data for the Northern Land Use Information Series (NLUIS).
Geomatics Yukon (GeoYukon)
Government of Yukon Various
Interactive web mapping application, providing search, display, and download functions for data and imagery from the Government of Yukon.

Thematic Data (2)

Nunavut Geoscience Sampler
Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office 2004
A "snapshot" of very detailed geoscience information for Nunavut.
Yukon Web Mapping Applications
Government of Yukon Various
Web mapping applications for various Government of Yukon departments including, but not limited to, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, and water.

Canada-Wide

The following list outlines all Canada-wide geospatial datasets held at or accessible to the Map and Data Centre.

Base Mapping / Topographic Data (6)

Canadian Digital Topographic Data
Natural Resources Canada 2000 - 2015
Natural Resources Canada provides multiple products which can be used as a digital cartographic reference.
DMTI: CanMap Data
DMTI Spatial 2001 - 2015
Digital Map Data for Canada.
Includes street and routing data, rail, parks, water, populated placenames and other topographic features.
DMTI: Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
DMTI Spatial Various Years
Detailed 1:50,000 (30m resolution) and 1:250,000 (90m resolution) scale raster DEM tiles that cover most of Canada.
DMTI: Enhanced Points of Interest
DMTI Spatial 2001 - 2015
Point vector GIS database of businesses and recreational points of interest for all of Canada. Includes a wealth of attribute information and several lookup tables.
DMTI: Platinum Postal Suite
DMTI Spatial Various Years
Very detailed six-digit postal code boundary files for all of Canada. This dataset also includes current and retired postal code points.
ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) 1999 - 2013
The ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit is an extensive vector mapping database. Also included is raster data such as world-wide DEMs, shaded relief and WorldSat imagery.

Thematic Data (5)

Canadian Geospatial Data
Natural Resources Canada Various Years
Vector and raster geospatial data available from the Government of Canada
Census of Canada Geography Products
Statistics Canada 1981 - 2014
Census geography products include boundary files at various levels (FED, DC, CMA, CSD, CT, DA, DB, etc). This also includes a road network containing information such as street names, types, directions and address ranges.
DMTI: Spatial Clutter
DMTI Spatial 2004
11-class Canadian Land Use raster dataset based on the 1:50,000 scale NTS sheets.
Geological Map of Canada - Map D1860A
Natural Resources Canada 1997
Vector data for the 1:5,000,000 scale Geological Map of Canada, Map D1860A. Displays bedrock formations, major faults and a variety of special geological features.
National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)
Environment Canada 1994-2014
Inventory and station locations for pollutant releases, disposals, and transfers.

Satellite Imagery (1)

CanImage Landsat 7 Satellite Imagery
Natural Resources Canada 2008
CanImage is a satellite image composed of three spectral bands originating from resampled Landsat 7 orthoimages (15m resolution). Based on the 1:50,000 scale NTS sheets.

United States

The following list outlines all geospatial datasets focused on, or produced by, the United States that are held at or accessible to the Map and Data Centre.

Base Mapping / Topographic Data (3)

ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) 1999 - 2013
The ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit is an extensive vector mapping database. Also included is raster data such as world-wide DEMs, shaded relief and WorldSat imagery.
Topo USA - version 6.0
DeLorme 2006
Topographic data for the USA. For use with a GPS or in a GIS software program.
US Digital Atlas
MapData Online 1999
1:100,000 scale vector data. Themes include Highways, streets, school districts, water features, census tracts, voting districts, etc.

Thematic Data (1)

Great Lakes Hydrography Dataset (GLHD) 2004-2012
Stream networks, reach catchments, and watershed boundaries for the Great Lakes basin

Worldwide

The following list outlines all worldwide focused/produced geospatial datasets held at or accessible to the Map and Data Centre.

Base Mapping / Topographic Data (5)

Australia GeoData Topo 250k - Series 3
Geoscience Australia 2006
Detailed 1:250,000 scale seamless vector GIS dataset. Themes include all elements normally found on Australian topographic maps including roads, contours, etc.
ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) 1999 - 2013
The ESRI Data & Maps Media Kit is an extensive vector mapping database. Also included is raster data such as world-wide DEMs, shaded relief and WorldSat imagery.
Global GIS
American Geological Institute (AGI); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 2001 - 2003
Global GIS provides extensive vector and raster coverage of all of the continents on the planet except for Antarctica at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Themes include roadways, built up areas, watercourses, etc.
Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)
NASA 2000
The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) is a digital raster elevation dataset divided into one degree blocks for the surface of the earth. Covers all of the Earth's land surface between 60 degrees North and 56 degrees South latitude.
Vector Map (VMap) Level 0 - Worldwide Vector Data, v5
US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) 2000
1:1,000,000 scale vector dataset of the world. Themes include topographic features (contours, spot heights), built up areas, watercourses, etc.
  • Download Vector Map (VMap) Level 1 (2003) via Canada Open Maps Portal
  • VMap 0 available in-person at the Map and Data Centre

Thematic Data (2)

General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans
GEBCO 1997, 2014
Provides gridded bathymetric data sets are global terrain models for ocean and land.
World Map of Hydrogeological Conditions and Groundwater Flow
HydroScience Press 1999
Displays information on the distribution of several quantitative characteristics of groundwater runoff as well as geological and hydrogeological conditions of groundwater generation.
  • Available in-person at the Map and Data Centre

Satellite Imagery (3)

Africa: Integrated NOAA AVHRR and Shaded Relief
Geomatics International Inc. 1996
Raster format landcover GIS data for Africa using integrated NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and shaded relief maps. Includes a low resolution DEM of the entire African continent.
Landsat 5/7 Composite Images of Earth - Geocover (7-4-2)
NASA and Earth Satellite Corporation 1990, 2000
The Geocover Imagery sets are comprised of orthorectified Landsat satellite image mosaics, that have been processed using spectral band 7 (mid-infrared) as red, band 4 (near-infrared) as green and band 3 (visible green) as blue.
Land View
Earth Observing System Data Analytics (EOS) 2019
Land Viewer is a satellite observation imagery tool that allows for on-the-fly searching, processing and getting valuable insights from satellite data worldwide.