Encyclopedia Article

Atlas of Canada

By George Falconer· 2015

Publication: The History of Cartography, Volume 6: Cartography in the Twentieth Century
Volume: 6
Pages: 116–117

Canada · Version 5

2026

George Falconer describes the sixth edition of the Atlas of Canada as an evolving digital atlas, launched in Ottawa in 1999, restored to its original title in 2002, and relaunched in 2006 as an Internet-based system serving educational users and the general public. He reports more than 600 interactive thematic map layers and over 1,450 maps, including scans of all previous editions, alongside continuing publication of new digital and paper maps on national subjects and nationwide topographic and place-name information. Falconer regards this electronic edition as the successful culmination of a century of atlas-making.

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This article traces the century-long development of the Atlas of Canada from its first publication in 1906 to its mature online form in the early twenty-first century. Drawing on publication histories, it compares successive editions in terms of responsible institutions, map scales, thematic coverage, formats, and intended users. The first four editions progressively broadened their treatment of national development and cultural identity through printed maps. Amid organizational restructuring, fiscal constraint, and rapid computerization, the fifth edition shifted toward a digital national atlas information system. Launched in 1999 and substantially renewed in 2006, the sixth edition became a web-based platform for educators and the public, offering more than 600 interactive thematic layers, over 1,450 maps, and nationwide topographic and toponymic information. This evolution demonstrates the transformation of a national atlas into a user-centered, collaborative geographic information service.