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Toporama Web Map Service

The Toporama Web Map Service (Toporama WMS) of the Earth Sciences Sector (ESS) at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is an Internet service that is intended mainly for online map application users and developers. This service is compliant with the Open Geospatial Consortium's (OGC) Web Map Service Implementation Specification, version 1.1.1.

Toporama WMS can be accessed at no cost and without restrictions according to the terms of the licence. Registration is optional, but is highly recommended to help users be better known and kept informed, and to improve service. The registration form is available under the Register to users list section.

This service can be used to build a customized map using the best baseline data from the ESS for a given scale. These data are known for being accurate and up-to-date. They are grouped together under 16 information themes developed, depending on the scale, using CanVec 1:50,000, the National Topographic Data Base (NTDB) 1:250,000 and baseline data from the Atlas of Canada (1:1,000,000 to 1:30,000,000 scales).

Notice

Natural Resources Canada assumes that users know what a WMS is and how to operate it, and that they are aware of the capacities and limits of the technology behind this type of service. The information presented is not intended to increase awareness of or describe Web Map Services. Natural Resources Canada does not provide support for users who want to learn about this technology. Users can find several information and training sources on this subject on the Internet, such as the OGC site and the online training site for the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) on the GeoConnections website.

You will need a Geographic Information System (GIS) or a Web application compatible with OGC standards to use this map service. Several resources can be found by searching the Web using a search engine (e.g., Quantum GIS, Gaia (The Carbon Project), OGC-compatible visualization software by Intergraph and the UDig application by Refractions.

In your GIS or Web application, it is necessary to seek a function or a command allowing the addition of a map service and where you will normally have to copy the URL of our service.

The following sections present various aspects and characteristics of the Toporama WMS, for example, those related to accessing it and to its content and characteristics.

Toporama WMS access

Links for the Toporama WMS

The Toporama WMS is available in both official languages through a separate URL for each language. Based on the address used, the Toporama WMS will produce a map with textual elements (labels and annotations, not including toponyms) in the language selected.

The Toporama WMS also produces a map with textual elements in the official language of the province or territory covered by the map requested. For example, a map covering parts of Ontario and Quebec will display textual elements in English for Ontario and French for Quebec.

Main URLs for the Toporama WMS by official language:

  • English: http://wms.ess-ws.nrcan.gc.ca/wms/toporama_en
  • French: http://wms.ess-ws.nrcan.gc.ca/wms/toporama_fr
  • Bilingual: http://wms.ess-ws.nrcan.gc.ca/wms/toporama

Data availability and mirror site

Service standards are guidelines to ensure consistent service is offered to our clients. Service must be quick, reliable and of high quality. Service is reviewed and improved regularly by taking clients' comments into account.

The Toporama WMS meets the GeoGratis site's standards, particularly because it ensures that the Web site is available 90% of the time, on a monthly basis, 24/7.

However, although all efforts are made to keep the Toporama WMS in operation, factors beyond our control may affect the availability of the service. A mirror service that is exactly the same has been implemented in case this happens and is available at the following URL: http://wmsmir.cits.rncan.gc.ca/wms/toporama.

This mirror service offers a temporary solution and is a less performing version of the service. Using this service over a long period is not advised.

Service requests

The Toporama WMS adequately supports the operations required (GetCapabilities and GetMap) as defined in the OGC WMS standard, version 1.1.1. If available, the other operations do not guarantee any results.

GetCapabilities is an operation that produces a descriptive XML document including general information on the Toporama WMS, along with the description of each data layer. Here is an example of this type of request addressed to Toporama WMS:

http://wms.ess-ws.nrcan.gc.ca/wms/toporama_en?VERSION=1.1.1&request=GetCapabilities&service=wms

GetMap is an operation that allows the user to obtain a raster map containing the requested layers selected from all the available layers as defined in the document produced by the GetCapabilities operation. This operation requires several arguments to define elements such as the data layers, region, projection, size, image format, etc. The complete list of arguments required is available in the aforementioned OGC document. The following is an example of a GetMap operation request:

http://wms.ess-ws.nrcan.gc.ca/wms/toporama_en?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=wms&VERSION=1.1.1&SRS=epsg:4269&BBOX=-72,45.35,-71.85,45.5&WIDTH=800&HEIGHT=600&FORMAT=image/png&LAYERS=vegetation,builtup_areas,hydrography

Projections available for service requests

All map requests must specify the desired projection. The user can obtain a map from the Toporama WMS in any of the following pre-defined European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) projections.

  1. EPSG:2294 - ATS77 / MTM Nova Scotia zone 4
  2. EPSG:2295 - ATS77 / MTM Nova Scotia zone 5
  3. EPSG:3395 - WGS84 / World Mercator
  4. EPSG:3400 - NAD83 / Alberta 10-TM (Forest)
  5. EPSG:3401 - NAD83 / Alberta 10-TM (Resource)
  6. EPSG:4269 - NAD83
  7. EPSG:4326 - WGS84 (World Geodesic Datum)
  8. EPSG:26707 - NAD27 / UTM zone 7N
  9. EPSG:26708 - NAD27 / UTM zone 8N
  10. EPSG:26709 - NAD27 / UTM zone 9N
  11. EPSG:26710 - NAD27 / UTM zone 10N
  12. EPSG:26711 - NAD27 / UTM zone 11N
  13. EPSG:26712 - NAD27 / UTM zone 12N
  14. EPSG:26713 - NAD27 / UTM zone 13N
  15. EPSG:26714 - NAD27 / UTM zone 14N
  16. EPSG:26715 - NAD27 / UTM zone 15N
  17. EPSG:26716 - NAD27 / UTM zone 16N
  18. EPSG:26717 - NAD27 / UTM zone 17N
  19. EPSG:26718 - NAD27 / UTM zone 18N
  20. EPSG:26719 - NAD27 / UTM zone 19N
  21. EPSG:26720 - NAD27 / UTM zone 20N
  22. EPSG:26721 - NAD27 / UTM zone 21N
  23. EPSG:26722 - NAD27 / UTM zone 22N
  24. EPSG:26907 - NAD83 / UTM zone 7N
  25. EPSG:26908 - NAD83 / UTM zone 8N
  26. EPSG:26909 - NAD83 / UTM zone 9N
  27. EPSG:26910 - NAD83 / UTM zone 10N
  28. EPSG:26911 - NAD83 / UTM zone 11N
  29. EPSG:26912 - NAD83 / UTM zone 12N
  30. EPSG:26913 - NAD83 / UTM zone 13N
  31. EPSG:26914 - NAD83 / UTM zone 14N
  32. EPSG:26915 - NAD83 / UTM zone 15N
  33. EPSG:26916 - NAD83 / UTM zone 16N
  34. EPSG:26917 - NAD83 / UTM zone 17N
  35. EPSG:26918 - NAD83 / UTM zone 18N
  36. EPSG:26919 - NAD83 / UTM zone 19N
  37. EPSG:26920 - NAD83 / UTM zone 20N
  38. EPSG:26921 - NAD83 / UTM zone 21N
  39. EPSG:26922 - NAD83 / UTM zone 22N
  40. EPSG:32181 - NAD83 / MTM zone 1
  41. EPSG:32182 - NAD83 / MTM zone 2
  42. EPSG:32183 - NAD83 / MTM zone 3
  43. EPSG:32184 - NAD83 / MTM zone 4
  44. EPSG:32185 - NAD83 / MTM zone 5
  45. EPSG:32186 - NAD83 / MTM zone 6
  46. EPSG:32187 - NAD83 / MTM zone 7
  47. EPSG:32188 - NAD83 / MTM zone 8
  48. EPSG:32189 - NAD83 / MTM zone 9
  49. EPSG:32190 - NAD83 / MTM zone 10
  50. EPSG:32191 - NAD83 / MTM zone 11
  51. EPSG:32192 - NAD83 / MTM zone 12
  52. EPSG:32193 - NAD83 / MTM zone 13
  53. EPSG:32194 - NAD83 / MTM zone 14
  54. EPSG:32195 - NAD83 / MTM zone 15
  55. EPSG:32196 - NAD83 / MTM zone 16
  56. EPSG:32197 - NAD83 / MTM zone 17
  57. EPSG:32198 - NAD83 / Quebec Lambert
  58. EPSG:41001 - WGS84 / Simple Mercator
  59. EPSG:42101 - LCC
  60. EPSG:42304 - LCC / Atlas of Canada
  61. EPSG:53016 - Sphere Gall Stereographic
  62. EPSG:54003 - World Miller Cylindrical
  63. EPSG:54004 - World Mercator
  64. EPSG:54008 - World Sinusoidal
  65. EPSG:54009 - World Mollweide
  66. EPSG:54016 - World Gall Stereographic
  67. EPSG:54030 - World Robinson
  68. EPSG:102008 - North America Albers Equal Area Conic
  69. EPSG:102009 - North America Lambert Conformal Conic
  70. EPSG:102016 - North Pole Azimuthal Equidistant
  71. EPSG:102017 - North Pole Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
  72. EPSG:102018 - North Pole Stereographic
  73. EPSG:102184 - NAD83 / Alberta 10-TM (Forest) (ESRI)
  74. EPSG:102185 - NAD83 / Alberta 10-TM (Resource) (ESRI)
  75. EPSG:900913 - Google Spheric Mercator

Styles

The Toporama WMS does not allow users to customize styles or symbols. The service defines its own styles and symbols that, with a few small exceptions, follow the symbolization of phenomena used in the National Topographic System's standards and specifications for polychrome maps, version 2.0.

Maximum map dimensions

The Toporama WMS produces images with maximum dimensions of 1,000 x 1,000 pixels. These dimensions reflect the concern for offering an image of acceptable resolution while taking into account the capacity and performance of WMS servers that have to respond adequately to all queries.

Toporama WMS content

Data layers available

The Toporama WMS offers 16 data layers. Each layer groups together several more elementary sub-layers to form a group that may be used for a query compatible with the OGC Web Map Service (WMS) standard.

The following list presents the 16 layers offered by the Toporama WMS.

Built-up areas
The Built-up areas layer represents densely populated zones where buildings are so close together that, for cartographic purposes, they are represented by a built-up area outline.
Constructions
The Constructions layer represents manmade structures and buildings.
Designated areas
The Designated areas layer represents areas of the landmass that have a precise use or function (examples: campground, marina, cemetery, golf course, etc.).
Feature names
The Feature names layer describes the official names assigned to various topographical phenomenons.
Hydrography
The Hydrography layer represents the surface water network only.
Hypsography
The Hypsography layer represents elevation points and continuous lines formed by peaks of equal altitude used to describe the topography. Elevation of points and lines is always calculated from mean sea level.
Landforms
The Landforms layer represents certain natural geographic features resulting from glacier and permafrost activity.
Limits
The Limits layer represents Geopolitical Boundaries features such as the international boundary, the inter-provincial/territorial boundaries and the exclusive economic zones of Canada along with political divisions.
Populated places
The Populated places layer describes populated areas where buildings are so close together that, for cartographic purpose, they are represented by a point
Power network
The Power network layer represents the main structures used to transport electricity, oil and gas.
Railway
The Railway layer represents the various structures required for the movement of trains and other rail-based vehicles.
Road network
The Road network layer represents road segments, including ferries, used for travel by land vehicles.
Structures
The Structures layer represents manmade structures, including bridges, tunnels and footbridges used for travel by land vehicles, trains or individuals.
Water features
The Water features layer represents natural or manmade features that are found in or around water phenomenons.
Water saturated soils
The Water saturated soils layer represents the major categories of wetlands.
Vegetation
The Vegetation layer represents wooded areas covered by bushes and/or trees.

The content of these data layers has been optimised to render properly when called in this order: Limits, Vegetation, Built-up areas, Designated areas, Hydrography, Hypsography, Water saturated soils, Landforms, Constructions, Water features, Road network, Railway, Populated places, Structures, Power network, Feature names

Data sources used

The data sources used vary depending on the scale requested. The table below describes the use of these sources based on the scale requested in the query.

Data source Data Scale Maximum Scale Minimum Scale
CanVec 1:50,000 1:1,000 1:120,000
NTDB 1:250,000 1:120,000 1:370,000
Atlas du Canada 1:1,000,000, 1:7,500,000 and 1:30,000,000 1:370,000 1:55,000,000

Standards and Specifications associated with data

Large-scale data used by the Toporama WMS are implemented in a manner that respects the standards and specifications of each specific product:

  • For NTDB data at a scale of 1:250,000: the NTDB Standards and Specifications, edition 3.1 and the NTDB Data Dictionary, edition 3.1;
  • For CanVec data: the Data Product Specifications, Edition 1.1 and the Feature catalogue, Edition 1.1.0.

For these products, each entity is defined in the form of a data layer. Several attributes are associated with each entity, as indicated in the standards and specifications.

Small-scale data comply with the respective standards and specifications of the data provider involved.

Source data projection

All layers from the data warehouses are implemented using the NAD83 projection (North America, NAD83) (EPSG:4269). Users can obtain the data in other projections by properly specifying the Spatial Reference System (SRS) parameter. However, this new projection may impose an additional calculation delay in some cases.

Characteristics and management of the Toporama WMS

Data quality

Except for a slight loss of accuracy related to the rasterization process, the quality of the digital topographic data found in the various warehouses is equivalent to the original data, which are produced following the production and updating processes.

Data updates

Large-scale Toporama WMS data updates follow the updating process of each product, as described in the product specifications document available on GeoGratis.

Small-scale Toporama WMS updates comply with the Atlas of Canada basic data updating process.

Toporama WMS data warehouses represent the state of the original data as of October, 2010.

Availability of the metadata

The metadata available are those regarding the NTDB product at the 1:250,000 scale and the CanVec product at the 1:50,000 scale.

Source data are tiled following the National Topographic System (NTS). Each NTS sheet has an associated metadata set. These metadata can be accessed in two different ways:

Incorrect data

The source data used to generate the map may be fundamentally incorrect. This is a case of a production discrepancy that may have already been flagged. To check whether a discrepancy has been recorded on Toporama product, you may consult the discrepancy site. You will need the sheet identifier expressed according to the National Topographic System (e.g., 031G05).

Date Modified: 2011-01-17

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