Ministry of Labour and Citzens' Services.

Base Mapping and Geomatic Services

Free Stuff

All of the products described here are available for no charge. 

 

Digital Maps

IJ Maps of BC (Added Aug 15, 2006)

The following table contains versions of a digital map of BC derived from the single paper wall map 1J. Generally speaking, the detail is equivalent to the wall map series starting with the designation "1J". The nominal scale of this digital mapping is 1:2 000 000, in other words, expect to see a level of detail in the digital file that you would expect from a 1:2 000 000 scale map.

The digital map of BC is provided in several formats. There are also two software applications supplied, which are in their own zip files: Expand2 and TrimView.

Zip File and Format Description
     
ARCG (897 KB) ESRI's ARC Generate format - an ASCII file, suitable for use with ESRI's ARC/Info GIS modules which are capable of performing 3D surface modelling. May be useful for other 3D modelling software. Albers projection.
CORELDraw (1618 KB) CorelDraw format files - both version 5 and version 6. Due to the limited capacity of CorelDraw, the original linework has been sampled down to limit the number of line segments to be found within the files. Two versions of the digital map of BC are available: moderate linework and very simple linework. Double click on the README.TXT file to be found within this zip file for more information. Polyconic projection.
DXF (516 KB) One digital map file based on the "moderate linework" file, as described in the CORELDraw file. DXF is the standard AutoCAD interchange format file, supported by a wide variety of graphics, CAD, and GIS software. Polyconic projection.
SAIF (5795 KB) The SAIF/ZIP format is a vendor independent format which can be easily converted to other GIS formats through the use of the free software FMEBC. This software is available through the web site: http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bmgs/fmebc/index.html.
Shape (5777 KB) ESRI's ARC Shape format - suitable for use with ESRI's ARCView and ARC Info GIS products. This version of the digital map data contains text attributes describing the various features to be found. No feature codes are present. Albers projection.
ShapeFC (4860 KB) ESRI's ARC Shape format - suitable for use with ESRI's ARCView and ARC Info GIS products. This version of the digital map data contains feature codes, which describe the various features to be found. This feature coding adheres to the printed specification for the 1:2 000 000 product, available for purchase as a companion product to this dataset. Albers projection.
MOEP (2201 KB) MOEP format - a vendor-independent format originally used for distribution of the TRIM digital map data (1:20 000 nominal scale). A series of files containing all digital map detail, in the MOEP Binary Compressed format. Polyconic projection.
IGDS (3521 KB) Intergraph's IDGS - suitable for use with Intergraph's GIS products, including the Bentley Microstation GIS. Albers projection.

 

Other Digital Maps of BC

Hint: to save the gif format files below, click on the link to the gif map you want, then position your mouse over the image within your browser, right click, and select "Save Picture As". (Windows 95/98/NT users only.)

  • 20kBCgrid - Contains files in SHAPE (polygon) format, the projection is in BCAlbers.(10,875 kb zip) NEW
  • BC5 - CorelDraw version 5 - map of BC, moderately complex (692k zip)
  • BC6 - CorelDraw version 6 - map of BC, moderately complex (847k zip)
  • BCDXF - AutoCAD interchange format - map of BC, moderately complex (494k zip)
  • BCMAP5 - CorelDraw version 5 - map of BC, simple linework (44k zip)
  • BCMAP6 - CorelDraw version 6 - map of BC, simple linework (57k zip)
  • BCMAPDXF - AutoCAD interchange format - map of BC, simple linework (65k zip)
  • bcmap.gif - map of BC, simple linework, black and white (8k gif)
  • bc.gif - map of BC - moderately complex, 8 colour (25k gif)
  • bcvi.gif - map of Vancouver Island, BC - moderately complex, 8 colour (25k gif)
  • bcsw.gif - map of southwestern BC, Vancouver to Okanagan - moderately complex, 8 colour (31k gif)
  • bcse.gif - map of southeastern BC, Okanagan to Kootenays - moderately complex, 8 colour (27k gif)
  • bcce.gif - map of east central BC, Quesnel to Valemont - moderately complex, 8 colour (22k gif)
  • bccw.gif - map of west central BC, Bella Bella to Anaheim Lake - moderately complex, 8 colour (23k gif)
  • bcnc.gif - map of the north coast of BC, Pr. Rupert to Burns Lake - moderately complex, 8 colour (25k gif)
  • bcqc.gif - map of Queen Charlotte Islands, BC - moderately complex, 8 colour (17k gif)
  • bcne.gif - map of northeastern BC, Pr. George to Ft. St. John - moderately complex, 8 colour (23k gif)
  • bcn.gif - map of northern BC, Pr. George and north - moderately complex, 8 colour (30k gif)
PLEASE NOTE: The coordinate system for the digital maps of BC is an arbitrary rectangular system...in other words, there is no reference datum nor a specific projection.

These files are intended to be used as index or "wall maps" only. They are not setup for use with geo-referenced data, although you should be able to use points of detail on the maps to perform some transformations into other coordinate systems from the arbitrary one being used for these products. For example, the major southern and northern boundaries of the province are the 49th and 60 parallels of latitude, and the major easterly boundary is the 120th west longitude.

Software

  • TRIM View (227k zip) - DOS-based utility (runs under Windows in full-screen mode), which allows you to have a quick look at the MOEP Binary Compressed data (to be found in the MOEP zip file).
  • EXPAND2 (50k zip) - DOS-based utility software which will convert the digital map files in the MOEP Binary Compressed format to the MOEP Expanded format. Some GIS software requires the Expanded version of MOEP, while other software reads the Binary Compressed version directly. MOEP format versions of the digital map of BC are to be found in the MOEP directory.
  • PCCMPRSS - for IBM-PC and compatible computers. pccmprss1.exe compresses the verbose ASCII version of MOEP format into a binary compressed version of MOEP (i.e. the opposite of EXPAND2). The software works on all MOEP format files, including: 1:2 000 000, 1:250 000, and 1:20 000 (TRIM) scales of mapping.
  • FMEBC - software to translate data delivered to you in the SAIF/ZIP format to a variety of GIS-related proprietary formats. You will need at least TWO files from the above-linked page - the FMEBC translator software for your particular computer platform, and a Control File which will instruct the FMEBC software how to perform the actual data translation.

Specification Documents

Many of our specification documents are available from our web site for download.   Trafford print-on-demand online service sell many of our specification documents, should you required a printed version.  Search for Geographic Data keyword (all one word) on Trafford's web site.