The first NGR survey took place in 1973 on the Island of Newfoundland, and represented many years, if not decades of exploration geochemistry technique refinement. The 1973 survey was the first large scale (>1000 km²) centre lake sediment survey conducted conforming to NGR methodologies (a brief description follows). With the introduction of the Federal-Provincial Uranium Reconnaissance Program (URP) in 1975, many new geochemical drainage surveys were initiated. By the time the program had ended in 1979, NGR had completed surveys in seven provinces and the two territories.

Various funding arrangements fueled the NGR through the early 1980's until the 1984 Federal-Provincial Mineral Development Agreements (MDA's). With the MDA's in place many new surveys were completed, but another important component had been added - sample re-analysis. As funding permitted archived samples were re-analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Importantly, it was a non-destructive method of analysis which provided data for an additional 26 elements. Expiration of the MDA's in the early 1990's slowed the rate of new survey coverage.

Often initiated from "outside" sources, present day funding comes from a variety of different sources, including other federal or provincial departments and/or private industry. Upwards of 210 individual surveys have been completed (with published results) to date.

Technological advancements, such as the personal computer (PC), database software, and geographic information systems(GIS), have provided new tools to query, manipulate and display NGR data. As a second generation of NGR data release, large areas of data are now being plotted in series of compilation maps. At present, there are map series for each of Labrador and Ontario.