Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS)

The CHS is responsible for charting Canada's 131,650 nautical miles of coastline (the longest of any country in the world), the 739,266 square nautical miles of continental shelf and territorial sea, plus inland lakes and waterways. Nautical charts and publications are required by marine transportation that operates under the Canada Shipping Act. Use of these products by both the commercial shipping and recreational boating communities protects lives, property and the marine environment.

In Central & Arctic Region, the CHS is located at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters (CCIW) in Burlington, Ontario and is one of the four CHS regional offices in Canada. This office conducts hydrographic surveys and produces the "official" nautical charts and publications for the major navigable waters in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

In Central & Arctic Region, the CHS is comprised of four Divisions:

• Electronic Navigational Charting
• Data Acquisition and New Products
• Product Maintenance
• Technical Services

Paper charts and publications are available from local Chart Dealers throughout the Region or from the Chart Distribution Office in Ottawa. Digital data and Electronic Navigational Charts (vector and raster) are available through Nautical Data International (NDI), St. John's, Newfoundland.

Contact the CHS Burlington office via e-mail or via our toll-free Client Connect number 1-877-CHS-LINK.

Related Links:

Canadian Hydrographic Service - Headquarters