Surficial geology map of Canada, 1:5 000 000

The map identifies surficial materials and associated landforms left by the retreat of the last glaciers and non glacial environments. The surficial geology is based on compilation of existing maps. This work provides new geological knowledge and improves our understanding ofthe distribution, nature and glacial history of surficial materials. It contributes to resource assessments and effective land use management.

This new surficial geology map product represents the conversion of the map "Surficial Materials of Canada" (Fulton, 1995) and its legend, using the Geological Survey of Canada's Surficial Data Model (SDM version 2.0) which can be found in Open File 7631 (Deblonde et al.,2014). All geoscience knowledge and information from map 1880A that conformed to the current SDM were maintained during the conversion process. However, only terrestrial units are depicted on this map. Map units below modern sea level or major lake levels are not shown but are maintained in the digital data of this publication. Where additional information was required in certain regions of the Arctic and Cordillera, legacy geology map data were used. These maps are listed in the digital "Map Information" document. All other source maps used in map 1880A are not relisted here. The purpose of converting legacy map data to a common science language and common legend is to enable and facilitate the efficient digital compilation, interpretation, management and dissemination of geologic map information in a structured and consistent manner. This provides an effective knowledge management tool designed around a geo-database which can expand following the type of information to appear on new surficial geology maps.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field	Value
Last Updated	April 17, 2026, 18:15 (UTC)
Created	April 17, 2026, 18:15 (UTC)
contact_email	francois.letourneau@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
contact_person	{"en": "Government of Canada; Natural Resources Canada; Geological Survey of Canada - GSC Quebec", "fr": "Gouvernement du Canada; Ressources naturelles Canada; Commission géologique du Canada - CGC Québec"}
criticality_level	[]
data_dictionary	EPSG:3979,http://www.epsg-registry.org/,6.14
geographic_scope	[]
open_canada_collection	fgp
open_canada_date_published	2014-12-19 00:00:00
open_canada_keywords	{"en": ["Anthropogenic deposits", "Colluvial and mass-wasting deposits", "Undifferentiated deposits", "Organic deposits", "Samples", "Geomorphological features", "Recent Geological Events", "Surficial Geology", "Glacial Ice or Snowpack", "Material", "Methods", "Weathered bedrock or regolith", "Alluvial sediments", "Eolian sediments", "Glaciofluvial sediments", "Glacial sediments", "Glaciolacustrine sediments", "Glaciomarine sediments", "Lacustrine sediments", "Marine sediments", "Volcanic deposits", "Bedrock", "Surficial Geology Unit Types", "Named units", "Surficial geology", "Geology", "Earth sciences"], "fr": ["Dépôts anthopogéniques", "Dépôts de versants", "Dépôts non différenciés", "Dépôts organiques", "Échantillons", "Éléments géomorphologiques", "Événements géologiques récents", "Géologie des formations superficielles", "Glace glaciaire ou neige pérenne", "Matériel", "Méthodes", "Roc météorisé ou régolithe", "Sédiments alluviaux", "Sédiments éoliens", "Sédiments fluvioglaciaires", "Sédiments glaciaires", "Sédiments glaciolacustres", "Sédiments glaciomarins", "Sédiments lacustres", "Sédiments marins", "Sédiments volcaniques", "Substrat rocheux", "Types d'unité de géologie de surface", "Unités nommées", "Géologie des dépôts meubles", "Géologie", "Sciences de la terre"]}
open_canada_subject	["form_descriptors", "nature_and_environment", "science_and_technology"]
sensitivity_level	unrestricted
title_fr	Carte de la géologie des formations superficielles du Canada, 1:5 000 000
update_frequency	not_planned