Nautical Chart Products

CHS produces and publishes almost 1,000 nautical charts covering Canadian waters. Nautical charts show hazards, aids to navigation, features along the shoreline and the seafloor, as well as man-made and natural features of the area.

Paper Charts  (definition)

• Print on Demand (POD)
• Are you looking for charts in particular area? Try the Interactive Paper Chart Catalogue

• Current edition listing: A list of paper charts currently available.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
  If you are looking for a particular chart, try the Chart Query facility.

• Recent Releases: View the list of recently released paper charts.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
• CHS Charting Plan: A list of paper charts we plan to release.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
  

  2006 2007 2008

• Replaced and Withdrawn Charts : View a list of all cancelled CHS charts and their replacements.
• CHS Instructional Charts : The Canadian Hydrographic Service has a number of charts available for instructional purposes. These charts represent a cross section of different chart content within Canada.
• Where to buy
• Notice to Mariners - Keep your Charts up to date

Electronic Charts  (definition)

Only authorized manufacturers and distributers can include Canadian hydrographic charts in digital navigation products.

a) Vector - S-57 ENCs (Format Edition 3.1)

• Current edition listing: A list of S57 ENCs currently available.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
  If you are looking for a particular ENC, try the ENC Query facility.

• Recent Releases: View the list of recently released S-57 ENCs.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
• CHS S-57 ENC production Plan: A list of S-57 ENCs we plan to release in the future.
  All Regions Atlantic Region Quebec Region Central & Arctic Region Pacific Region
  

  2006 2007 2008

• Replaced and Withdrawn S-57 ENCs :
  View a list of all cancelled CHS S-57 ENCs (Format Edition 3.1).
• Where to buy
• The official IHO ENC Test Data Set for IEC can be found here.
• For information on the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Transfer Standard for Digital Hydrographic Data, Publication S-57 please contact the IHO.

b) Raster

• To get a list of Raster ECs currently available and to find out where to buy them visit NDI.

Chart 1 : Symbols, Abbreviations, and Terms:

This book explains the symbols, abbreviations and terminology used to describe all features on Canadian charts. It is vital reference for understanding charts.

Issued as a New Edition in 2004, Chart 1 is now available on CD as well as in traditional book form. Please contact your authorized Chart Dealer for additional details.

More information on this product can be found at Chart 1
 

Chart Catalogues:

CHS publishes chart catalogues numbered one to four. They illustrate chart coverage for the Atlantic Coast, the Pacific Coast, the Great Lakes and Central Canada, and the Arctic. Each of these catalogues is available free of charge and is a mandatory publication that must be carried by vessels as described in the Charts and Publication Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act. The catalogues also list related publications and CHS chart dealers in Canada and other countries.

Are you looking for charts in particular area? Try our Interactive Paper Chart Catalogue. You can also download viewable, printable paper chart catalogues.

You can also see your local chart dealer or contact us to get printed chart catalogues.

Bathymetric Maps:

The CHS bathymetric mapping program produces maps for users whose prime interest is not navigation but the nature of the seafloor and the material beneath it.

Products include Natural Resource Maps (NRM) at a scale of 1:250000 (digitized for the Natural Resource Map Database), National Earth Science Series (NESS) maps at 1:1000000, Regional Bathymetry Maps (RBM) at 1:2000000, Non-Series maps at a variety of scales, and General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) at 1:10000000.

Map editions are used to indicate the publication status of Canadian Bathymetric Map Series products and Related Publications.

• NRM - Natural Resource Maps:
  • Paper format
  • Digital format
• NESS - National Earth Science Series
• RBM - Regional Bathymetry Maps
• GEBCO - General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans

This site is maintained by the Canadian Hydrographic Service.