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Web Map Service

The Atlas of Canada's OGC (Open GIS Consortium) Web Map Service (WMS) is an Internet-based service designed to provide developers of on-line WMS compliant mapping tools access to the Atlas of Canada's base layers. By using this service, developers will have access to our most current and accurate base data for rendering customized maps. Our OGC-compliant WMS technology is provided free of charge and does not require a contract or license agreement. WMS client software is also required to render maps based on layers obtained from various server sources. To construct maps from WMS layers, WMS visualization software is also required. Here are links to Web Map Viewers:

For more information on WMS go to the GeoConnections Web site and select the CGDI-Access Technical Services Manual in either PDF or HTML formats.

Due to non-redistribution agreements in effect between the Atlas and our providers of thematic data, we presently can only offer our base information to the public. Please note that all our base layers were compiled from data at a scale of 1:7 500 000 and subsets were created to optimize visualization at three other scales: 1:2 000 000, 1:15 000 000 and 1:60 000 000.

List of Topics:

WMS Map Layers

There are 25 individual base layers with English titles provided by this WMS (a separate WMS exists with French layer titles and descriptions). The labels (names) of the populated places are provided in separate layers from their associated point locations (symbols).

The following 25 national scale base layers are currently available through the Atlas WMS:

1. Regions outside Canada (1:2 000 000)
2. Regions outside Canada (1:7 500 000)
3. Regions outside Canada (1:15 000 000)
4. Water areas (1:2 000 000)
5. Water areas (1:7 500 000)
6. Water areas (1:15 000 000)
7. Water areas (1:60 000 000)
8. Drainage (1:2 000 000)
9. Drainage (1:7 500 000)
10. Drainage (1:15 000 000)
11. Drainage (1:60 000 000)
12. Road network (1:2 000 000)
13. Road network (1:7 500 000)
14. Road network (1:15 000 000)
15. Provincial and Territorial Boundaries
16. Boundaries
17. Landmass outline (1:7 500 000)
18. Populated Places (symbols 1:2M)
19. Populated Places (labels 1:2M)
20. Populated Places (symbols 1:7.5M)
21. Populated Places (labels 1:7.5M)
22. Populated Places (symbols 1:15M)
23. Populated Places (labels 1:15M)
24. Capital Cities (symbols)
25. Capital Cities (Canada)

Service Requests

GetCapabilities

To obtain general information about this WMS and specific information about the available map layers, users should invoke the "GetCapabilities" request. The response generated by "GetCapabilities" consists of an XML document to be displayed in your browser window. The form of the URL-encoded request is as follows:

http://atlas.gc.ca/cgi-bin/atlaswms_en?VERSION=1.1.1&request=Getcapabilities&service=wms

The information contained within the resulting XML document will assist in selecting the layers desired for the creation of a map. The unique layer names and their description as well as projection options are also provided in the XML document. For a list of other available request parameters, please consult the following document: “OpenGIS® Web Map Server Interfaces Implementation Specification, Version 1.1.0” .

GetMap

The “GetMap” request is used to produce a map with Atlas of Canada base layers. Several parameters are required to form the URL request including: VERSION, REQUEST, SRS, BBOX, WIDTH, HEIGHT, LAYERS, STYLES and FORMAT. For further information on these parameters and others, please consult the on-line document entitled “OpenGIS® Web Map Server Interfaces Implementation Specification, Version 1.1.1”.

The following URL-encoded string is an example of a functional GetMap request containing the above-mentioned parameters and their values: the “version” of WMS used is 1.1.0, the “request” is GetMap; the “SRS” (spatial reference system or projection) is expressed as EPSG:42304 (See the list in the Projections section that follows.); the bounding box (“bbox”) coordinates are: 2750564.75,-936638.5,3583872.5,4673125, the “width” and “height” parameters specify a rectangle of pixels 500 by 500 in dimension, the value of “layers” is the name of the single layer displayed, wa_15m; a null value is use for the “styles” parameter as the layer will be displayed using it’s default styles; and the “format” of the map image returned is GIF.

http://atlas.gc.ca/cgi-bin/atlaswms_en?VERSION=1.1.1&request=GetMap&SRS=EPSG:42304&BBOX=-2750564.75,-936638.5,3583872.5,4673125&WIDTH=500&HEIGHT=500&LAYERS=wa_15m&STYLES=&FORMAT=GIF

Please note that each parameter is separated by an “&” and values are assigned using the “=” sign.

Projections

When requesting a map from the Atlas WMS, users can obtain the resulting image in any of the following pre-defined EPSG (European Petroleum Survey Group) projections:

1. EPSG:4326 - WGS84 (World Geodesic Datum)
2. EPSG:4269 - NAD83
3. EPSG:2294 - ATS77 / MTM Nova Scotia zone 4
4. EPSG:2295 - ATS77 / MTM Nova Scotia zone 5
5. EPSG:26707 - NAD27 / UTM zone 7N
6. EPSG:26708 - NAD27 / UTM zone 8N
7. EPSG:26709 - NAD27 / UTM zone 9N
8. EPSG:26710 - NAD27 / UTM zone 10N
9. EPSG:26711 - NAD27 / UTM zone 11N
10. EPSG:26712 - NAD27 / UTM zone 12N
11. EPSG:26713 - NAD27 / UTM zone 13N
12. EPSG:26714 - NAD27 / UTM zone 14N
13. EPSG:26715 - NAD27 / UTM zone 15N
14. EPSG:26716 - NAD27 / UTM zone 16N
15. EPSG:26717 - NAD27 / UTM zone 17N
16. EPSG:26718 - NAD27 / UTM zone 18N
17. EPSG:26719 - NAD27 / UTM zone 19N
18. EPSG:26720 - NAD27 / UTM zone 20N
19. EPSG:26721 - NAD27 / UTM zone 21N
20. EPSG:26722 - NAD27 / UTM zone 22N
21. EPSG:26907 - NAD83 / UTM zone 7N
22. EPSG:26908 - NAD83 / UTM zone 8N
23. EPSG:26909 - NAD83 / UTM zone 9N
24. EPSG:26910 - NAD83 / UTM zone 10N
25. EPSG:26911 - NAD83 / UTM zone 11N
26. EPSG:26912 - NAD83 / UTM zone 12N
27. EPSG:26913 - NAD83 / UTM zone 13N
28. EPSG:26914 - NAD83 / UTM zone 14N
29. EPSG:26915 - NAD83 / UTM zone 15N
30. EPSG:26916 - NAD83 / UTM zone 16N
31. EPSG:26917 - NAD83 / UTM zone 17N
32. EPSG:26918 - NAD83 / UTM zone 18N
33. EPSG:26919 - NAD83 / UTM zone 19N
34. EPSG:26920 - NAD83 / UTM zone 20N
35. EPSG:26921 - NAD83 / UTM zone 21N
36. EPSG:26922 - NAD83 / UTM zone 22N
37. EPSG:42101 - LCC

In addition, the following Lambert Conformal Conic projection used by the Atlas of Canada is also available:

38. EPSG:42304 - LCC / Atlas of Canada"

 
Date modified: 2006-06-05 Top of Page Important Notices