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Mapping

Natural Resources Canada releases new Atlas of Canada

Natural Resources Canada releases new Atlas of Canada
  • Apr 15, 2015
  • 341 words
  • 2 minutes
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(Map: Natural Resources Canada)

Take a look at the latest Atlas of Canada map–released this week by Natural Resources Canada–and you should spot some differences from the old one.

The Atlas of Canada was first published in 1906 and is updated as the country’s roads, place names, parks and more change. The latest version is an update to the paper map of Canada published in 2006.

“Maps have played an important role in building our country, from being used to identify the location of natural resources to urban planning and economic development,” Minister of Natural Resources Greg Rickford said in a statement on Wednesday. “This updated map will help Canadians better understand our evolving country.” Here’s a summary of the changes:

New names
Based on land settlement claims, British Columbia’s Queen Charlotte Islands are now called Haida Gwaii. Clyde Inlet (on Baffin Island, Nunavut) is now Kangiqtugaapik because of the Inuit designation.

National parks
Recently created Sable Island National Park Reserve and Naats’ihch’oh National Park Reserve are now on the map.

Winter and other roads
For the first time, Northern Canada’s winter roads have been added. They appear in the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Other roads, rails and ferries have been revised and added. For example, a road now connects Stony Rapids in northern Saskatchewan to the southern part of the province.

New ice, moving pole
It might be the opposite of what you’d expect, but the map appears to show more Arctic sea ice than the previous iteration. Different Environment Canada data – median sea ice between 1981 and 2010 – is the measurement now being used for the map. The North Magnetic Pole also moved to a position north of 85 degrees latitude.

Changing places
The population of Airdrie, Alta. has grown to 42,564, so its symbol has as well. The marker is changing from one symbolizing a population between 5,000 and 24,999 to between 25,000 and 99,000, based on the 2011 census. In Ontario, New Liskeard and Haileybury amalgamated to become Temiskaming Shores.

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