Land Information Ontario is now Geospatial Ontario

For over 25 years, we have helped the public find, access and share geographic data through Land Information Ontario (LIO).

LIO is now Geospatial Ontario (GEO). We made this name change to:

  • help meet the growing demand for geospatial data
  • enhance geospatial services

Overview

Geospatial Ontario manages the collection, maintenance and distribution of Ontario’s geospatial data.

Geospatial data is information about where things are located on the surface of the Earth. It includes maps, images and coordinates that provide details about the landscape and features.

GEO provides access to the geospatial data, tools and services you need to make decisions about:

  • natural resource management
  • environmental monitoring
  • infrastructure planning
  • agriculture
  • flood planning

How to find and access geospatial data

Find and access Ontario’s authoritative geospatial data, maps and tools using Ontario GeoHub.

You can download the data or use a web service in geospatial software.

Search the full catalogue using the Find Data search tool or browse the available topics. Filter by tags or search for a specific tag.

Once you have selected a data product, you can:

  • read the description or view all metadata
  • view geometry and attribute information in the interactive map
  • download the data
  • connect to a web service to display the data in a table to view
  • filter information

With the interactive map, you can:

  • pan and zoom
  • click on features and view attribute information
  • download a subset of the data

Foundation geospatial data

Foundation geospatial data are the building blocks for creating maps and understanding geographical locations. It includes:

  • elevation
  • imagery
  • roads
  • rivers
  • lakes
  • infrastructure
  • administrative boundaries

Most maps are built on these data layers to accurately represent the world.

We continually collect and improve foundation geospatial data and mapping tools to help people make better location-based decisions for:

  • land use planning
  • emergency response
  • infrastructure site selection
  • navigation routes

To learn more visit the Foundation Geospatial Data page on Ontario GeoHub.

Ontario Imagery Program

Aerial photography of the earth’s surface is known as imagery.

GEO's Ontario Imagery Program provides a long-term approach to capturing high-quality imagery of Ontario and distributing it to private and public sector organizations. This imagery is georeferenced and can be used to accurately map visible features.

The Ontario Imagery Program provides:

  • leaf-off, high-resolution aerial photography on a five-year cycle for southern Ontario and parts of the near north
  • cloud-free satellite imagery for the province, including the Far North
  • instant access to seamless provincial imagery through web mapping services

How to access imagery data

You can access imagery data through internet-based web map services or through ordering directly from GEO.

Get information about the collection, including how to access and order imagery at Ontario Imagery Program.

Ontario Elevation Mapping Program

Elevation data shows how high or low a place is compared to sea level. This data is essential for creating detailed maps of the Earth’s surface.

Ontario’s Elevation Mapping Program collects elevation data to support:

  • flood risk management
  • infrastructure development
  • environmental management
  • agriculture
  • land use planning

We collect Ontario’s elevation data using lidar. Lidar means light detection and ranging, which is a remote sensing technology that uses laser pulses to measure distances to the Earth’s surface.

Lidar data is used to produce 3D elevation models of the terrain and surface features such as buildings.

Learn more and access these data layers at Ontario Elevation Mapping Program.

Sharing data

Who can share data

Public organizations can share data with other organizations by becoming a member of the Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange.

Members can share geographic data through a single agreement administered by GEO.

There is no cost to join.

The Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange is available to:

  • municipal, provincial or federal governments
  • Indigenous communities
  • conservation authorities
  • public health units
  • non-profit organizations
  • colleges or universities
  • public utilities

Contact us to learn how to join the Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange.