| A map of Canada's earth materials |
Proactive disclosure
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Natural Resources Canada > Earth Sciences Sector > Priorities > Geoscape Canada > Canada
Geoscape Canada
A map of Canada's earth materials Earth Materials - Ice
Ice occurs as glaciers in mountainous areas of British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Alberta, and the Arctic Islands. Glaciers form where the accumulation of snow, principally during winter, exceeds summer snowmelt. Most Canadian glaciers have retreated since the late 1800s. Meltwater from glaciers is important in maintaining the flow of many rivers in western Canada during the dry summer months.
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Figure 1. Hikers dwarfed by glacier, Ellesmere Island (© P. vanPeenen).
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Figure 2. Glacier flowing into a small lake, Coast Mountains, British Columbia (I. McMartin).
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