New Atlas of Canada

Summary

This paper examines the role and activities of the Canadian National Committee of the International Geographical Union, with a focus on its efforts to advance geographic science and address national deficiencies in geographic knowledge. The study reviews the Committee’s mandate, composition, and collaborative projects, highlighting its interdisciplinary reach across physical and social geography. Key contributions include promoting geography in Canadian universities, international research on agriculture in high latitudes, and strategic influence in wartime planning. A central finding is Canada’s significant lag in modern geographic mapping, particularly the absence of an up-to-date national atlas; the 1906 and 1915 editions are obsolete. The paper argues that a new comprehensive Atlas of Canada is urgently needed, integrating physical, biogeographic, economic, and human geography. It outlines a preliminary framework based on a survey by the Canadian Social Science Research Council and emphasizes the necessity of collaboration among federal departments and provincial authorities. The Committee concludes that planning must begin immediately to align with the 1951 census, enabling the atlas to include timely statistical maps. The project can be executed within the normal functions of existing agencies at minimal additional cost, with eventual cost recovery through sales. The paper underscores that the Committee is prepared to provide scientific guidance, pending governmental authorization, to produce a modern atlas serving education, industry, international representation, and public understanding of Canada.