This database contains detailed information on various sorbents (materials used to absorb chemicals) with a particular emphasis on the compunds abilities to absorb oil from tanker spills.

As part of a scientific assessment of critical habitat for boreal woodland caribou (Environment Canada 2011, see full reference in accompanying documentation), Environment Canada's Landscape Science and Technology Division was tasked with providing detailed anthropogenic disturbance mapping across known caribou ranges. This data allowed researchers to better understand the attributes that have a known effect on caribou population persistence. The mapping process was established to create a nationally consistent, reliable and repeatable geospatial dataset that followed a common methodology. The methods developed were focused on mapping disturbances at a specific point of time, and were not designed to identify the age of disturbances, which can be of particular interest for disturbances that can be considered non-permanent, for example cutblocks. The resultant datasets were used for caribou resource selection function,habitat modeling, and assess overall disturbance levels on each caribou ranges. Anthropogenic disturbances within 57 caribou ranges across Canada were mapped. The ranges were defined by individual Provinces and Territories across Canada. Disturbances were mapped across these ranges using 2008-2010 Landsat-5 satellite imagery to provide the most up to date data possible. Originally some areas were mapped to match the date of collected caribou demographic data, however more recent imagery was used and additional disturbance features that were seen since the original mapping date were added. Within the context of this project, anthropogenic disturbance was defined as any human-caused disturbance to the natural landscape that could be visually identified from Landsat imagery at a viewing scale of 1:50,000. A minimum mapping unit (MMU) of 2 ha or approximately 22 contiguous Landsat pixels was selected. Each disturbance feature type was represented in the database by a line or polygon depending on their geometric description. Polygonal disturbances included: cutblocks, mines, reservoirs, built-up areas, well sites, agriculture, oil and gas facilities, as well as unknown features. Linear disturbances included: roads, railways, powerlines, seismic exploration lines, pipelines, dams, air strips, as well as unknown features. For each anthropogenic feature type, a clear description was established (see Appendix 7.2 of the science assessment) to maintain consistency in identifying the various disturbances in the imagery by the different interpreters. Various ancillary vector datasets were used as aids in detecting, classifying and digitizing disturbances on the Landsat imagery (a table listing these datasets and their sources has been included in a separate file). Ancillary data was used to guide interpretation and feature labelling since the ancillary data was often variable across the country in terms of completeness as well as scale. As a result, features were only digitized if they were visible in the Landsat imagery at a viewing scale of 1:50,000. A 2nd interpreter quality control phase was carried out to ensure high quality, completete and consistent data collection. A quality assessment analysis, since an actual accuracy assessment was not possible, using high resolution SPOT imagery was carried out on a sample basis. Results are included in accompanying documentation. The vector data was buffered by 500m (radius) representing the zone of influence impacting boreal caribou herds in order to calculate range disturbance levels as well as for use in the integrated risk assessment analysis. Fire polygons were merged into the anthropogenic footprint in order to create an overall disturbance footprint.

The dataset contains the blended (gauge and satellite estimates) monthly mean precipitation rates (unit: mm/day) for Canada for the period from January 1979 to December 2007, at a half degree spatial resolution. Please refer to the paper below for the details of the blending algorithm and input gauge and satellite data. Reference: Lin, A. and X. L. Wang, 2011: An algorithm for Blending Multiple Satellite Precipitation Estimates with in-situ Precipitation Measurements in Canada. JGR-Atmospheres, 116, D21111, doi:10.1029/2011JD016359.

This daily forecast describes the ice edge using latitude and longitude coordinates, the total ice concentration, the predominant ice stage of development and the concentration of the oldest ice type. Warnings are issued as appropriate. The forecasts are valid from the time of issue until the end of the following day (so for a period of 24 to 48 hours).

Meteorological Observations describe datasets that contain information aboutweather and climate conditions as available on the City-Pages of the Environment Canada WeatherOffice.gc.ca web site. These pages contain information about current weather conditions and past climate including temperature, wind, and humidity measurements, written descriptions of current conditions, rain and snow amounts, average and extreme temperatures, etc. The current conditions are acquired from a variety of observing system operators and are provided in near-real time with limited quality assurance. Current condition information should not be considered as quality-controlled official values. The availability of values for every observation period is not guaranteed as they may be affected by observing system operations.

This daily forecast describes the ice edge using latitude and longitude coordinates, the total ice concentration, the predominant ice stage of development and the concentration of the oldest ice type. Warnings are issued as appropriate. The forecasts are valid from the time of issue until the end of the following day (so for a period of 24 to 48 hours).

This dataset displays the geographic areas within which critical habitat (CH) for terrestrial species at risk, listed on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), occurs in Canada. Note that this includes only terrestrial species and species for which Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Parks Canada Agency (PCA) lead. Under SARA, critical habitat is “the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of a listed wildlife species and that is identified as the species’ critical habitat in the recovery strategy or action plan for the species.” To precisely define what constitutes critical habitat for a particular species it is essential that this geospatial information be considered in conjunction with complementary information provided in a species’ recovery document. Recovery documents are available from the Species at Risk (SAR) Public Registry (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry.html) for two posting stages (proposed and final posting). The recovery documents contain important information about the interpretation of the geospatial information, especially regarding the biological and environmental features (“biophysical attributes”) that complete the definition of a species’ critical habitat. Within any defined critical habitat geospatial boundary, not all of the area is necessarily critical habitat. It is important to note that recovery planning documents (and, therefore, critical habitat) may be amended from time to time as new information becomes available, which may occur after a document has been posted as proposed or final on the SAR Public Registry. The SAR Public Registry should always be considered as the main source for critical habitat information. In cases where the data are sensitive, the geographic area within which critical habitat occurs may be represented as grids. These are coarse grids (1, 10, 50 or 100 square kilometres) that serve as indicators to locate critical habitat in the recovery planning document. More detailed information on critical habitat may be made available on a need-to-know basis by contacting Environment and Climate Change Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service at ec.planificationduretablissement-recoveryplanning.ec@canada.ca. The data is current as of the date of the most recent revision.

These ice charts illustrate ice conditions at a particular moment in time. The ice information is presented using a standard international code, known as the Egg Code. The following charts are available from the Canadian Ice Service: -Daily Ice Charts -Image Analysis Ice Charts -Regional Ice Charts

As part of a scientific assessment of critical habitat for boreal woodland caribou (Environment Canada 2011, see full reference in accompanying documentation), Environment Canada's Landscape Science and Technology Division was tasked with providing detailed anthropogenic disturbance mapping, across known caribou ranges, as of 2015. This data comprises a 5-year update to the mapping of 2008-2010 disturbances, and allows researchers to better understand the attributes that have a known effect on caribou population persistence. The original disturbance mapping was based on 30-metre resolution Landsat-5 imagery from 2008 -2010. The mapping process used in 2010 was repeated using 2015 Landsat imagery to create a nationally consistent, reliable and repeatable geospatial dataset that followed a common methodology. The methods developed were focused on mapping disturbances at a specific point of time, and were not designed to identify the age of disturbances, which can be of particular interest for disturbances that can be considered non-permanent, for example cutblocks. The resultant datasets were used for a caribou resource selection function (habitat modeling) and to assess overall disturbance levels on each caribou ranges. Anthropogenic disturbances within 51 caribou ranges across Canada were mapped. The ranges were defined by individual provinces and territories across Canada. Disturbances were remapped across these ranges using 2015 Landsat-8 satellite imagery to provide the most up-to-date data possible. As with the 2010 mapping project, anthropogenic disturbance was defined as any human-caused disturbance to the natural landscape that could be visually identified from Landsat imagery with 30-metre multi-band imagery at a viewing scale of 1:50,000. A minimum mapping unit MMU of 2 ha (approximately 22 contiguous 30-metre pixels) was selected. Each disturbance feature type was represented in the database by a line or polygon depending on their geometric description. Polygonal disturbances included: cutblocks, mines, reservoirs, built-up areas, well sites, agriculture, oil and gas facilities, as well as unknown features. Linear disturbances included: roads, railways, powerlines, seismic exploration lines, pipelines, dams, air strips, as well as unknown features. For each type of anthropogenic disturbance, a clear description was established (see Appendix 7.2 of the science assessment) to maintain consistency in identifying the various disturbances in the imagery by the different interpreters. Features were only digitized if they were visible in the Landsat imagery at the prescribed viewing scale. A 2nd interpreter quality-control phase was carried out to ensure high quality, complete and consistent data collection. For this 2015 update an additional, separate higher-resolution database was created by repeating the process using 15-metre panchromatic imagery. For the 30-metre database only, the line and poly data were buffered by a 500-metre radius, representing their extended zone of impact upon boreal caribou herds. Additionally, forest fire polygons were merged into the anthropogenic footprint in order to create an overall disturbance footprint. These buffered datasets were used in the calculation of range disturbance levels and for integrated risk assessment analysis.

The Emergencies Science Division of ESTC provides Spills Technology Databases including Brochures, Oil Properties, Chemical Synonyms, PPA Instruments and Tanker Spills. This database contains information on the properties of various types of oils, a chemical thesaurus where one can look up synonymous chemical names, and information on over 700 tanker spills