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Program directory · Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Hydrographic Services, Data and Science

Program code
BTH06 (FO)
Core responsibility
Marine Navigation
In Departmental Plans
2018-19 – 2025-26 · Appeared and later dropped

What it does

The safe use of Canadian waterways requires knowledge of the physical limitations to navigation. The Canadian Hydrographic Service contributes to safety on Canadian waterways by undertaking hydrographic surveys from primarily Canadian Coast Guard vessels to measure, describe, and chart the physical features of Canada's oceans and navigable inland waters. As Canada's hydrographic authority, the Canadian Hydrographic Service uses these data to produce up-to-date, timely and accurate nautical charts and publications in support of domestic and international marine transportation in accordance with the requirements of the Canada Shipping Act 2001 and the International Maritime Organization's Safety of Life at Sea Convention. In addition to supporting Safe and Secure Waters strategic objectives, hydrographic information is used in a number of research and development applications in engineering, ocean research, maritime security, marine navigation, ocean management, ecosystem science and the renewable and non-renewable energy sector.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-282028-29Hydrographic Services, Data and Science 2018-19: $49.6MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2019-20: $51.2MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2020-21: $42.2MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2021-22: $42.4MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2022-23: $40.4MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2023-24: $52MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2024-25: $50.5MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2025-26: $45.2MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2026-27: $44.3MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2027-28: $35.2MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2026-27: $51.8MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2027-28: $43MHydrographic Services, Data and Science 2028-29: $40.8MHydrographic Services, Data and ScienceHydrographic Services, Data and Scie…
Bars: spending by fiscal year (dark: actual; light: actual restated on the 2017-18 program structure; outlined: the latest plan's forecast; grey: related programs). Bands: each program in the lineage over the years it has data.
ProgramRelationYears with dataActual spending over those years
Hydrographic Services, Data and ScienceThis program2018-19 – 2027-28$328M
Hydrographic Services, Data and ScienceLater program (name match, high confidence)2026-27 – 2028-29—

Significant changes in scope and budget

Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.

YearWhat changedSource
2023-24Indicators added: # of official navigational products created and/or updated per year, from incorporation of new and modern hydrography and/or navigationally significant informationDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Indicators dropped: # of key priority areas across the country covered by modern hydrographic information, products and charts (there are 23 total commercial ports)Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Spending $52M, against $40.4M in 2022-23 (+29%).Actual spending (GC InfoBase)
2026-27Appears to be replaced by Hydrographic Services, Data and ScienceCanada Spends name match across plans (an inference)

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Historical: targets against results

# of official navigational products created and/or updated per year, from incorporation of new and modern hydrography and/or navigationally significant information
Expected result: Mariners safely navigate Canada’s waters
1,5682023-24✓ met1,6852024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2023-24≥ 20020241,568Met
2024-25≥ 20020251,685Met
# of key priority areas across the country covered by modern hydrographic information, products and charts (there are 23 total commercial ports)
Expected result: Safer navigation through better information in mariners' hands
232021-22✓ met232022-23✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2021-22≥ 23202223Met
2022-23≥ 23202323Met

Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets

No indicators in the 2026-27 plan.

Future goals: targets due after 2026-27

No targets with a later due date.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

2018-19: $53.1M2018-19: $49.6M2018-192019-20: $51.2M2019-20: $51.2M2019-202020-21: $43.4M2020-21: $42.2M2020-212021-22: $41.3M2021-22: $42.4M2021-222022-23: $29.9M2022-23: $40.4M2022-232023-24: $41.7M2023-24: $52M2023-242024-25: $43.7M2024-25: $50.5M2024-252025-26: $45.2M2025-262026-27: $44.3M2026-272027-28: $35.2M2027-28
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-19$53.1M$49.6M
2019-20$51.2M$51.2M
2020-21$43.4M$42.2M
2021-22$41.3M$42.4M
2022-23$29.9M$40.4M
2023-24$41.7M$52M
2024-25$43.7M$50.5M
2025-26$45.2M—
2026-27$44.3M*—
2027-28$35.2M*—

Employees (FTEs)

2018-19: 3082018-19: 2752018-192019-20: 3242019-20: 2782019-202020-21: 3382020-21: 2762020-212021-22: 2832021-22: 2792021-222022-23: 2532022-23: 2692022-232023-24: 2872023-24: 2862023-242024-25: 2642024-25: 2762024-252025-26: 2692025-262026-27: 2612026-272027-28: 2292027-28
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-19308275
2019-20324278
2020-21338276
2021-22283279
2022-23253269
2023-24287286
2024-25264276
2025-26269—
2026-27261*—
2027-28229*—

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.