Canadian Elevation Models

NOTE 2024-08-04: This dataset is currently being integrated with windPRO.

CDEM Canadian DEM (Legacy).

CDEM Canadian DEM (Legacy) - data-tiles with their resolution.

Introduction

The Canadian elevation models are digital elevation models (DEM’s) produced by Natural Resources Canada, NRCan. Currently, two Canadian DEM models are available from windPRO:

1. Canada MRDEM-DTM Elevation Model - 30m resolution - (MRDEM)
The Canadian Medium Resolution Digital Elevation Model (MRDEM-DTM), part of the CanElevation Series developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), offers a spatial resolution of 30 meters. This dataset is a mosaic derived from two primary sources: the CopernicusDEM (TandemX mission) and the national high-resolution HRDEM (Airborne LiDAR) model. The elevation values in this DTM dataset represent the bare ground surface, excluding objects such as vegetation and man-made structures. For use in this model, NRCan resampled the HRDEM 1-meter data into a 30-meter grid resolution.

2. Canada CDEM Elevation Model - 0.75 arc-second [LEGACY] - (CDEM)
The Canadian elevation model in its 0.75-arc-second resolution is a digital elevation model (DEM’s) produced by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). CDEM is mainly based on elevation contours and hydrographic data from NRCan's Geospatial Data Base at the scale of 1:50,000, or at other scales provided by other provinces and territories. Temporal coverage is 1945-2011. The source dataset holds different resolutions from 0.75-arc-second (below N69) to 3-arc-second (above N81). For consistency, windPRO always delivers the data with a 0.75 arc-second resolution - with the coarser tiles being resampled with a bi-linear algorithm.

Please consult the product-specifications (see links below) for more details.

Dataset Overview - MRDEM

• Spatial Coverage: Canada
• Resolution:
  • 30 meters
• Data-type: Digital Terrain Model (DTM)
• Coordinate system:
  • Horizontal: Canada Atlas Lambert NAD83 (CSRS) (EPSG:3979)
  • Vertical: CGVD2013
• Version: This is version 1.0 of MRDEM (from 2024-02.28). EMD procured this dataset in august 2024.
• Vertical Accuracy: N/A

Dataset Overview - CDEM

• Spatial Coverage: Canada
• Resolution:
  • In windPRO: 0.75 arc-second (approximately 25m)
  • Source data: 0.75 arc-second resolution below N69, 3-arc-seconds north of N81, other areas are typically 1.4 arc-second resolution (see image to the right).
• Data-type: Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
• Coordinate system:
  • Horizontal: Geographic WGS - NAD83 (EPSG:4617)
  • Vertical: Canadian Height Reference System, 1928 (CGVD28)
• Version: This is version 1.1 of CDEM. EMD procured this dataset in august 2024.
• Vertical Accuracy: N/A

Usage Notes

• CDEM is a legacy DEM product that is no longer supported by the Natural Resources Canada as it may not meet current government standards. EMD recommends using MRDEM.
• If you need even higher-resolution data (down to 1m or 2m grid resolution), then NRCan also offers a High Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM) for selected regions and territories - see HERE. The complete coverage of the Canadian territory is gradually being established (2024).

Availability from within WindPRO

The data are available directly from within windPRO in 0.75-arc-second (~25-meter) resolution or 30m resolution. The data can be accessed from the online-services in the following objects:

• Line Object (with purpose to height contour lines)
• Elevation Grid Object

License and Attribution

These products belong to the open data of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The data have been licensed under an ‘Open Government Licence – Canada (version 2.0)' - see here. Please accept the license conditions and use a proper attribution when using these dataset, such as:

Canada digital elevation model (DEM) data from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).
License:  Open Government Licence – Canada.
Source: Distribution through EMD and windPRO. 

Acknowledgement

• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the public of Canada are thanked for producing this digital elevation dataset – and disseminating it in the public domain - and thus for aiding the development of renewable energy.

External Links

• Government of Canada - Geospatial Data Extraction Tool - HERE
• MRDEM - product specification (pdf-file) - HERE
• CDEM - information sheet (pdf-file) - HERE
• CDEM - product specification (pdf-file) - HERE
• HRDEM - product description - HERE