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Frequently Asked Questions - Geomatics Centre
- What is the Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre (NSGC)?
The Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre (NSGC), located in Amherst, provides the base mapping support program for the Province of Nova Scotia. The NSGC is the distribution center for all Geographic Information Services' corporate data sets and value added products. We also contract-out for mapping services, on average, $1.5m annually.
- What are the Province's Corporate Geographic Data Sets?
Corporate data is defined as any data which is or could be used by more than one agency. Therefore any person or agency can generate corporate data. In the case of Geographic Information Services' corporate databases for the Province of Nova Scotia include the Aerial Photography Database, Nova Scotia Coordinate Referencing System (NSCRS), Nova Scotia Topographic Database (NSTDB), and the Nova Scotia Property Records Database (NSPRD).
- What goes on at NSGC?
The Geomatics Centre is responsible for the production, maintenance & quality control of Corporate Geographic Databases and other related mapping initiatives:
- Aerial Photography Database
- Nova Scotia Coordinate Referencing System (NSCRS)
- Nova Scotia Topographic Database (NSTDB)
- Nova Scotia Property Records Database (NSPRD)
- Nova Scotia Civic Addressing File (NSCAF)
- Nova Scotia Coastal Series
- Special Projects
- Data Distribution
- What is the Aerial Photography Database and what is it used for?
The Geomatics Centre is the central repository for aerial photographic film. The archive consists of over 600,000 recent and historical vertical aerial photographs. This includes custom photography flown for other provincial departments (photography to support the corporate geographic datasets) as well as photography from the Provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. This photography is available at various scales using colour, black & white, or infrared film. The Province uses aerial photography at 1:10,000 scale (colour) for forest inventory mapping and 1:40,000 (black and white) is used to update the 1:10,000 Nova Scotia Topographic Database (NSTDB) mapping, with both scales covering the entire province on a cyclical basis of up to 10 years.
- What is the Nova Scotia Coordinate Referencing System (NSCRS) and what is it used for?
The NSCRS is a comprehensive name used to describe the Provincial spatial reference standard and supporting spatial reference infrastructure. The NSCRS provides the geometrical consistent foundation (reference frame) for geo-referencing activities within the province (facilitates the exchange and integration of geospatial data from different sources and datums).
- What is the Nova Scotia Topographic Database (NSTDB)?
The NSTDB is the base map foundation for the Province. It is comprised of the Resource Series / 1:10,000 scale (contains all topographic features incl. contours and DEMs, features are generalized or symbolized to be represented at this scale (i.e. small building are shown as symbols, roads are single line features), complete digital mapping coverage for the province is available; and, Large Scale Series / 1:5000, 1:2000, and 1:1000 (contains mapping coverage for cities, towns, and areas of special interest - corridor mapping for proposed Highways (DOT), airports). More detailed data is collected and less features are generalized or symbolized.(i.e. building footprints are plotted to scale, both sides of the road shoulder are portrayed, fences and individual trees are shown).
- Where does the NSTDB data come from?
Most topographic data is collected from aerial photography and more and more data is being collected from source providers. The Resource 1:10 000 mapping is sourced from 1:40 000 photography while Large Scale Mapping is derived from 1:18 000 or 1:10 000 photography. Some of the topographic data is also being collected from GPS technology. At present, this is mainly road data.
- What is the NSTDB used for?
The NSTDB is used as the foundation for many other products and services such as the The Nova Scotia Atlas; Coastal Mapping Series; Nova Scotia Property Database (NSPRD); Nova Scotia Civic Address File (NSCAF); Registry 2000; DOTPW Data Warehouse, Forestry Database; Federal GeoBase project –National Road Network (NRN) & National Hydrographic Network (NHN); the GeoPortal Initiative, etc.
- What is the Nova Scotia Property Records Database (NSPRD)?
The NSPRD consists of land ownership information (graphic and attribute).
- What role does the Geomatics Centre play in maintaining NSPRD land ownership information?
Digital data is submitted regularly from regional offices to the NSGC for quality control. Quality control routines are applied to the NSPRD graphic component, data is then posted to FTP site for uploading nightly to Property On-line. Data resides in Oracle at NSGC for web services application (e.g. Data Locator, NS Civic Address File etc.). NSPRD data (graphic & attributes) is available for distribution in various GIS formats.
- What is the Nova Scotia Civic Address File (NSCAF) and what are its components?
The Nova Scotia Civic Address File is an integrated civic addressing system that extends well beyond simple addressing needs. It is comprised of: General Service Areas (GSA); NSTDB map component (street centerline, building centroid); NSPRD map & attribute component (property lines and PIDs); and NSCAF data component (civic number, street name, address range info, etc.).
- What is civic address information used for?
Government agencies use accurate civic address information to plan and deliver services. Private companies use the information (via a licensing arrangement) to schedule courier deliveries, trace parcels, locate service vehicles and a variety of other needs. Emergency response services (police, fire and ambulance) use this data / mapping for the emergency 911 system.
- What is the Nova Scotia Coastal Series and how was it created?
The Coastal Map series consists of 132 color maps of the province’s coastal zone and extends to the 12 mile limit. This mapping was created as two layers - land (derived from NSTDB 1:10 000 map series, with contours) and water layer (derived from CHS digital charts).
- What work is being done to create new map products and services?
The Geomatics Centre’s “Special Projects” unit is tasked with manipulation of geographic databases to create new maps and related products. This unit is also the Nova Scotia Remote Sensing custodian (per federal / provincial MOU).
- What Special Projects are currently underway?
Current projects include production & maintenance of the 50k Coastal Series & the 50k Resource Series; develop new databases and specifications that comply with National standards (NS Road Network (NSRN) / project to update road network and the NS Hydrographic Network (NSHN) / project to update hydro network); web application development; and, continue to provide GIS consulting & support / technology transfer to other government departments.
- What products and services are available through theGeomatics Centre and how do we deliver geographic information?
The Geomatics Centre has a full suite of geographic information products including published / printed maps, aerial photos, series maps, corporate digital datasets and related map products. In addition to standard map products value added products are also produced (typically these are derived from the NSTDB) such as Nova Scotia Addressed Roads maps, Nova Scotia Atlas maps and other specialty map products. These products are plotted on demand to ensure currency. Also available are a full suite of digital data products which have a supported maintenance program.
Our products and services are delivered through…
- Online Map Store
- Internet Applications - Data Locator, NSCAF viewer
- Custom Desktop Applications – TPW maintenance tool
- Online Subscription Services – Data Direct
- Distribution Desk –file transfer protocol (ftp), email
- Regional offices – LROs / Map Library Service regional offices
- Independent Map Dealer Network – Hardcopy only
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