Atlas du Canada

Atlas of Canada

Canada · 1959

Atlas du Canada

Editors’ Accounts

Cartographic development of the Atlas of Canada

E. D. Baldock · 1958

This article reviews the cartographic development of the new National Atlas of Canada, initiated by the Canadian government in 1949 to replace the 1915 edition and to provide an integrated representation of the country’s physical, economic, and social characteristics. A governmental committee and specialized subcommittees coordinated the collection of information on agriculture, history, fisheries, climate, transportation, communications, natural resources, topography, hydrography, and related subjects. The Surveys and Mapping Branch then established standardized base maps, page dimensions, projections, papers, typography, and color treatments. Atlas maps were prepared principally at scales of 1:2,500,000, 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000, 1:20,000,000, and 1:50,000,000, using conformal Lambert and polyconic projections as appropriate. Base information was generalized by scale, while line weights and lettering were adjusted to ensure clear reproduction in neutral gray and light blue. Specialized relief and bathymetric maps required finer lines, separate name plates, and distinct engraving procedures. Because cartographic compilation and reproduction proceeded simultaneously, each sheet was managed as an individual production project. Photographic master negatives, transparent plastic overlays, proofs, and repeated geographical review supported correction and color separation. To reduce the number of press runs without sacrificing thematic clarity, the team developed screened combinations of eight principal inks, generating approximately 530 tones; the average number of printings per sheet was reduced to nine. Exact registration, multiple exposures, and press proofs ensured consistent results, although they increased production time. The project demonstrates how systematic scale design, projection selection, photomechanical techniques, and rationalized color planning enabled the accurate and economical production of a complex national atlas. It also served as substantial professional training, fostering new methods and broader problem-solving capabilities among Canadian cartographic personnel.

Reviews & Responses

Atlases and maps. Atlas of Canada

Л. Р. Серебряный · 1960

This article reviews the Atlas of Canada, completed in October 1958. Initiated by a Canadian government decision in 1948, the atlas was compiled by the Geographical Branch with contributions from 150 geographers and 25 cartographers. It comprises 450 maps, with principal maps at 1:10,000,000 scale using Lambert conformal conic projection, alongside other scales. Content covers expedition routes, historical map samples, topographic mapping, physical geography (geology, climate, hydrology, soils, biogeography), population, economy (fisheries, agriculture, industry, transport), and socio-cultural aspects including land use in major cities. The loose-leaf binding allows for periodic updates, showcasing a systematic synthesis of national geographic information.

On some new atlases

Riccardo Riccardi · 1960

Riccardo Riccardi reviews the Atlas of Canada, issued in English and French, as a work of 110 plates containing 430 maps, produced through nearly a decade of research and compilation by scientists and federal officials. He notes that its consistent use of the Lambert conformal conic projection and scales related to 1:10,000,000 facilitates comparison. He particularly praises the climatic coverage, the 1951 population maps, and maps of fisheries, agricultural regions, manufacturing and transport. He finds the maps of population change and Indigenous population distribution too generalized. He also notes the absence of maps of trade and finance and of regional economic syntheses, and wishes that historical comparisons extended beyond population distribution to economic activities. Despite these reservations, he judges the atlas one of the best national atlases.

Regional atlases: A summary survey

Ena L. Yonge · 1962

In this survey of regional atlases the reviewer singles out the Atlas of Canada as superb and as a model for other New World countries, calling it the result of united effort by government and private sources. He notes that both French and English editions were published, and describes 450 maps covering Canada's physical, historical, political, cultural and economic structure, with fauna and flora, exploration and mapping, settlement and manufacturing, and transportation and communication all comprehensively covered and technically well produced. He draws attention to an unusual plate of profiles of 17 major rivers with existing and potential dams, 14 plates on weather, and plans of the eight major cities showing urban growth and land use.

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