A key question Canadians ask: Does Canada have a secure energy supply?

The Canadian demand for energy is growing rapidly. This program will help to ensure a more secure Canadian energy supply by providing geoscience information that reduces the risks of finding new energy resources, informs resource management and environmental protection decisions, and contributes to energy policy formulation. The program is based on basin resource assessments of conventional and unconventional resources, and uranium and includes studies on the implications for groundwater (as related to energy production), and using Northern Energy Development funding, geoscience studies in the Mackenzie Valley, to better understand the potential impacts of infrastructure development.

Web site: Gas Hydrates - Fuel for Future?

A key question Canadians ask: Will gas hydrates play a significant role in Canada's energy supply?

Within Canada there is increasing difficulty and hence increasing costs in replacing non-renewable hydrocarbon-based energy reserves. As a key contribution to the government's priority of ensuring that Canadians have access to secure and reliable supplies of energy, the Gas Hydrates program will explore the possibility of extracting methane locked in widespread gas hydrates deposits. Initially, this will be done through partnered experiments to study exploration wells were drilled into gas hydrates in the Mackenzie Delta. However, establishing gas hydrates as a resource and realizing gas hydrate production will require continuing experimentation, including one or more prolonged production tests.

Web site: Targeted Geoscience Initiative 3

A key question Canadians ask: How can we sustain Canada's minerals and metals reserves?

The Targeted Geoscience Initiative 3 (TGI 3) program will focus on innovative geological mapping in three dimensions to stimulate further private sector investment that helps sustain the reserves of base metals in vulnerable mining communities. The principal objective of the program is to improve the 3D public geoscience knowledge of established mining districts to reduce the geological risk inherent in exploring, developing and deepening existing mining operations to extend known reserves, and in searching for new hidden deposits. In addition, the program will provide training opportunities to expand the development of highly qualified personnel available to work in the base metals exploration sector. The target mining districts include central Newfoundland, northern New Brunswick, the Abitibi region (Ontario and Quebec), the Flin Flon-Lynn Lake region (Saskatchewan and Manitoba), and south-eastern British Columbia.

(Extended until March 31, 2007 to deliver stakeholder priorities)

Web site: Geomatics for Northern Development

A key question Canadians ask: What geographic information and new technologies are needed for northern governments and communities to manage their lands?

The program supports new investment and sustainable development in the North by providing reliable and consistent geospatial information and services ranging from digital topographic 1:50 000 scale maps to global positioning systems (GPS) online correction services. The program also provides technical expertise in geomatics, including the organization of geomatics workshops with stakeholders that will help to ensure Northerner's develop an increased capacity in the use of geospatial infrastructure. The final goal is to provide a broadly adapted suite of geospatial information that is recognized as critical tools for decision-making.

Web site: Northern Resources Development

(Extended until March 31, 2007 to deliver stakeholder priorities)

A key question Canadians ask: What is required for northern Canada to increase its economic self-sufficiency and social stability?

A principal driver of future economic opportunities for northern Canadians will be the responsible development of mineral and energy resources. In the final year of this program, we will finalize and deliver an expanded geoscience knowledge base to stimulate new private sector investment in mineral and energy exploration and development. In addition, the program will support northern capacity building through increased understanding of geoscience for decision-making and by stimulating increased employment opportunities in exploration programs

A key question Canadians ask: What is required for Canada's northern territories to increase their economic self-sufficiency and social stability?

Canada's North has tremendous mineral potential and these resources are anticipated to be a strong driver of improved economic opportunities that benefit northerners and all Canadians. ESS is currently developing a co-planned and jointly delivered program with three territorial governments. The intent is to improve, in a targeted fashion, the geoscience knowledge that will attract international investment aimed at exploring for, and eventually developing, these northern resources. Projects will be based on priorities established through a comprehensive evaluation of the mineral potential of the North.

Fiscal year 2006/2007 funding is being used to develop this program, which is tentatively scheduled to start in 2007/2008

A key question Canadians ask: How have Canada's land cover and land use patterns changed over time, and how can we can best understand and monitor changes for the future?

The Land-Use Characterization for Impact Assessment (LUCIA) program is being developed in support of the community of Earth Observation (EO) users primarily, but not exclusively, within the Government of Canada. The Earth Sciences Sector (ESS) through the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) has the mandate and capacity to add value and reduce hurdles for the efficient use of EO data and derived products in order to rationalize the federal EO investment and support the community of users for the delivery of their mandate. As a demand-driven program, leveraging from partners will ensure LUCIA remains strategic and purposeful. CCRS will provide support at various levels depending on the needs and remote sensing capacities of users.

Working in close collaboration with its partners, mainly government departments, CCRS will be proactive and provide technical support and leadership with respect to technology evolution to ensure secure access to quality EO data. LUCIA aims at developing the necessary methods and tools to translate baseline data into information and tools for monitoring and supporting decision and policy making, while reducing costs and risks, and improving processes. The focus of LUCIA is on measuring land-use changes to assess impact on environment and natural resources for efficient management and planning.

Fiscal year 2006/2007 funding is being used to develop this program, which is tentatively scheduled to start in 2007/2008.

Web site: Geoscience for Oceans Management

A key question Canadians ask: Are Canada's ocean resources being managed in a responsible manner?

The goal of this program is to contribute to the geoscience knowledge for informed decision-making regarding Canada's offshore lands, so that decisions on resource development and land use (including building and managing the risks to offshore structures) are balanced with social, economic and environmental considerations. This program is based on a systematic approach to seafloor mapping to deliver geoscience knowledge for integrated ocean management. In addition to being part of the Canada Oceans Act, and Canada's Ocean Strategy, this program will also provide the seabed mapping foundation for the 2005 Government of Canada's Ocean Action Plan (OAP).

A key questions Canadians ask: Who conducts the surveys that establish the property rights on aboriginal lands and national parks?

This program delivers the obligations of the Government of Canada with respect to definition of property boundaries on Aboriginal Lands including land claims using effective and culturally- aligned administration systems. In addition, the program ensures proper definition of the exterior boundaries of national parks and that surveys required for land-use decisions in communities situated on Canada Lands are effectively managed. By ensuring that boundaries are well defined, property rights uncertainties are eliminated and sustainable economic and social development is encouraged on Canada Lands.

A key question Canadians ask: Are property rights on Canada lands protected?

The Canada Lands Survey System (CLSS) provides the foundation for development activities on Canada Lands. Canada Lands include First Nations Lands, National Parks, Canada's ocean space and the North. The CLSS also supports various property rights regimes, such as surface rights under the Indian Act or Land Claims agreements, mineral rights in support of exploration and development and other resource and community development. In addition, the CLSS provides the framework for defining and describing the extent of settlement lands through the Aboriginal land claim process.

A key question Canadians ask: What is being done to improve land survey systems to support development for First Nations and the North?

A cadastre is a public record survey and map of the value, extent and ownership of land for surveying, taxation or administrative purposes. This project will deliver a new cadastral management framework that is fully integrated with other property rights systems on Canada Lands. The new integrated framework will effectively support responsible development of natural resources in the North and assist with First Nation's self-reliance. It will also contribute to institutional initiatives for cadastral reform in developing communities nationally and internationally, and to the management of Canada's oceans.

Web site: Canadian Spatial Reference System

A key question Canadians ask: How do I know where I am or where the boundaries of my property are?

The Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) provides fundamental reference values for latitude, longitude, height and gravity, including the orientation and rotation rate of the earth in space. The resulting reference frames serve as standards that ensure the accuracy and compatibility of all positioning and navigation information in Canada, regardless of its source or date. This service forms the basis for provincial and municipal spatial reference networks and other government services. As geological forces constantly cause the surface of the Earth to move monitored changes in the reference frames contribute to a better understanding of Earth process linked to global changes and geo-hazards. Downstream applications include many professional, economic and scientific activities including cadastral surveys, navigation, mapping, resource management, mineral exploration, major engineering projects, geodynamic studies and other georeferencing activities.

Web site: Height Reference System Modernization

A key question Canadians ask: How can new technology give us better spatial reference information at lower cost?

The goal of this project is to ensure the transition from a levelling-base height reference system delivered by a network of monuments throughout Canada to a modernized gravity-based system. A modernized height-reference system enables punctual determination of Mean Sea Level heights anywhere in the country using modern space positioning geodetic techniques such as GPS and emerging Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This change will improve operational efficiencies for CSRS users while reducing the cost of maintaining the national reference system.

Web site: GeoBase

A key question Canadians ask: With so many different sources of topographic information available on the internet and in stores, where can I find authoritative, consistent geographic data?

GeoBase is a federal, provincial and territorial government initiative that is overseen by the Canadian Council on Geomatics (CCOG). Under this initiative, federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government data stakeholders agreed to cooperate and work collectively to ensure the provision of, and access to, a common, up-to-date and well maintained base of quality geospatial framework data covering the entire Canadian landmass. The underlying principles are to provide access to quality (current, accurate, consistent and maintained) and unique (one set of data, collected and maintained by the responsible agency) geospatial data at no cost to users and with no restrictions for users.

A key question Canadians ask: Where can Ii get seamless topographic information in a digital form?

Since 1968, the Sector has pursued the goal of national map coverage for Canada with the paper-based National Topographic Series (NTS) of maps and the subsequent National Digital Topographic Database (NTDB). However, the data needs updating and reformatting to be incorporated in a Geographical Information System. This project will provide a common vision to ensure that quality geospatial information is available to serve the needs of Canadians in a web-based environment

Web site: Atlas of Canada

A key question Canadians ask: How can comprehensive information about Canada's landmass be easily accessed?

For 100 years, the Atlas of Canada has provided authoritative, relevant and accessible information about Canada in a geographic context and at a national level. The Atlas facilitates the integration and analysis of diverse data in order to increase overall knowledge about Canada.

Web site: Earth Observation Data Services

A key question Canadians ask: What is being done to ensure the long-term availability of satellite earth observation data?

These services provide earth observation (EO) data to ESS programs, the Canadian Space Agency, other government departments and the private sector. Data are made available in an efficient and reliable manner to support near-real-time applications, such as forest fire monitoring and mapping. In addition, non-real-time applications are available for other uses, such as land use management and climate change monitoring. The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) ground segment infrastructure provides North American data reception coverage capability and its ground stations receive EO data from several satellite sensors and maintain an archive dating back to 1972.

A key question Canadians ask: Is our Earth Science knowledge useful for helping less developed countries and are our Earth Science industries competitive internationally?

Consistent with Canada's foreign policy objectives and using Canadian know-how and technologies, this program provides less-developed countries with better information on their geography, environment and natural resources to assist them with making sound and responsible policies and decisions on economic and social development. By leveraging ESS participation in externally funded international development projects, Canadian geoscience and geomatics companies and universities also gain access to foreign markets and potential new business opportunities.