Geological map of Canada, 1:5 000 000

The map displays bedrock formations at or near the surface of the land, on the sea floor above the continental crust that forms the Canadian landmass, and oceanic crust surrounding the landmass. The bedrock units are grouped and coloured according to geological age and composition. The colours of offshore units and oceanic crust are paler and more generalized than those on land, although the constituent units offshore are still easily discernible from their dashed boundaries. This colour design, coupled with the use of a white buffer zone at the coast allows the coastline of Canada to be readily distinguished and still show the grand geological architecture of the Canadian landmass.

The map also shows major faults that have disrupted the Earth's crust, onshore and offshore, and a variety of special geological features such as kimberlite pipes, which locally contain diamonds, impact structures suspected to have been caused by meteorites, and extinct and active spreading centres in the surrounding oceans.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field	Value
Last Updated	April 17, 2026, 18:45 (UTC)
Created	April 17, 2026, 18:45 (UTC)
contact_email	nrcan.gsc-geosciencedata-donneesgeoscience-cgc.rncan@canada.ca
contact_person	{"en": "Government of Canada; Natural Resources Canada; Geological Survey of Canada - GSC Quebec,Government of Canada; Natural Resources Canada; Geological Survey of Canada - GSC Quebec,Government of Canada; Natural Resources Canada; Geological Survey of Canada,voice; 1 (418) 6542655,voice; 1 (418) 6543826,heryk.julien@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca,francois.letourneau@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca,nrcan.gsc-geosciencedata-donneesgeoscience-cgc.rncan@canada.ca", "fr": "Gouvernement du Canada; Ressources naturelles Canada; Commission géologique du Canada - CGC Québec,Gouvernement du Canada; Ressources naturelles Canada; Commission géologique du Canada - CGC Québec,Gouvernement du Canada; Ressources naturelles Canada; Commission géologique du Canada,heryk.julien@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca,francois.letourneau@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca,nrcan.gsc-geosciencedata-donneesgeoscience-cgc.rncan@canada.ca"}
criticality_level	[]
data_dictionary	Proj4,nrcan.lms.gsc.proj:+proj=lcc +lat_1=49 +lat_2=77 +lat_0=49 +lon_0=-95 +x_0=0 +y_0=0 +datum=D_Clarke_1866 +units=m,1
geographic_scope	[]
open_canada_collection	fgp
open_canada_date_published	1996-09-01 00:00:00
open_canada_keywords	{"en": ["Archean", "Cenozoic", "geology", "Coastal and Marine Geology", "Areal geology; maps and charts", "Bedrock Geology", "Mesozoic", "Paleozoic", "Phanerozoic", "Precambrian", "Proterozoic", "Igneous rock", "Metamorphic rock", "Plutonic rock", "Sedimentary rock", "Volcanic rock", "earth sciences", "Geological maps", "Geology"], "fr": ["Archéen", "Cénozoïque", "géologie", "Géologie côtière et marine", "Géologie d'une région; cartes et diagrammes", "Géologie de la roche en place", "Mésozoïque", "Paléozoïque", "Phanérozoïque", "Précambrien", "Protérozoïque", "Roche ignée", "Roche métamorphique", "Roche plutonique", "Roche sédimentaire", "Roche volcanique", "sciences de la terre", "Carte géologique", "Géologie"]}
open_canada_subject	["form_descriptors", "nature_and_environment", "science_and_technology"]
sensitivity_level	unrestricted
title_fr	Carte géologique du Canada, 1:5 000000
update_frequency	not_planned