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January updates to ArcGIS Online basemaps

Significant Canadian contributions to the ArcGIS Online basemaps were published this week, improving both the imagery and the World Topographic Map with new and updated content.

First, two communities contributed their imagery for inclusion in the imagery basemap. Kelowna, BC provided 10cm imagery from 2013 and Guelph, ON provided 12 cm imagery from 2010. Both imagery contributions are viewable from 1:1,128 to 1:18,112 and they have each added to the quality of our imagery basemap.

New imagery of downtown Guelph, ON from 2010, 12 cm.

New imagery from the West Coast. Enjoying the sunshine in Kelowna, BC, 2013, 10 cm

The World Topographic Map was updated with new and improved content from a number of different communities. Map cache for their communities is now available down to 1:1,1128. New contributors are mainly comprised of communities in Ontario and Quebec. They include:

  • Brant County, ON
  • County of Frontenac, ON
  • County of Peterborough, ON
  • Hamilton, ON
  • Humber Arboretum, Toronto, ON
  • Huron County, ON
  • Kawartha Lakes, ON
  • Magog, QC
  • Niagara Region, ON
  • Peel Region, ON
  • Rimouski, QC
  • Rothesay, NB
  • Simcoe County, ON
  • Victoriaville, QC
  • Waterloo, ON

Basemap comparison of Paris, ON (Brant County). The old version of the basemap (left) and the new, updated version (right).

Another basemap comparison—this time in Hamilton, ON. The old version of the basemap (left) and the new, updated version (right).

In addition to all this new content, there were a large number of updates, too. These updates include:

  • Archipelago, ON
  • Brampton, ON
  • Cape Breton, NS
  • Chatham-Kent, ON
  • Cobourg, ON
  • Cornwall, ON
  • Fort Good Hope, NWT
  • Fredericton, NB
  • Gatineau, QC
  • Kingston, ON
  • Leeds & Grenville, ON
  • London, ON
  • Loyalist Township, ON
  • McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
  • Moncton, NB
  • Niagara Falls, ON
  • Norman Wells, NWT
  • Ottawa, ON
  • Peterborough, ON (city)
  • Quebec City, QC
  • Quinte West, ON
  • Repentigny, QC
  • Rouyn-Noranda, QC
  • Sault Ste. Marie, ON
  • Sudbury, ON
  • Toronto, ON
  • Tulita, NWT
  • University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
  • Val-d’Or, QC
  • Wood Buffalo, AB (partial)
  • Woodstock, ON
  • York Region, ON

Another large update of Canadian content is expected to occur sometime in mid-February 2015. To view the status on the latest and upcoming updates, check the Web map below:

About the Author

Paul Heersink is a cartographer and Program Manager of Esri Canada’s Roads & Addresses Program: an initiative that is aiming to build a seamless topographic basemap using contributor data. He has over 25 years of cartographic experience, working in both the public and private sectors. Paul has always been interested in mapping and drew his own atlas at the age of 10. He took a detour in his career through the fields of psychology and social work before returning to cartography.

Profile Photo of Paul Heersink