Canada Spends Logo

Explore our Budget 2026 analysis

Program directory · Natural Resources Canada

Canadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada

Program code
BTL01 (NR)
Core responsibility
Natural Resource Science and Risk Mitigation
In Departmental Plans
2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan

What it does

The Canadian Geodetic Survey provides the fundamental reference frame and standards for the measurement of latitude, longitude, elevation and gravity anywhere in Canada and monitors motions of our continental landmass in support of geomatics and geoscience. This geospatial reference frame underpins all activities where positions matter, enabling mapping, land surveying, water management and engineering activities in Canada. A growing community of research scientists rely on the program's precise positioning and gravity information to study changes in the Earth. The program is delivered by real-time analysis of global satellite data, supporting client services that enable Canadians to use global navigation satellite systems (e.g. GPS) for precise positioning, including heights above sea-level. Related tools and services are delivered directly to Canadians through the internet.

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).

2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-282028-29Canadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2018-19: $5.8MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2019-20: $5.7MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2020-21: $5.1MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2021-22: $5.6MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2022-23: $6.5MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2023-24: $7.4MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2024-25: $7.4MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2025-26: $6.3MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2026-27: $6MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2027-28: $6.1MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada 2028-29: $5.6MCanadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada
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
Canadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling CanadaThis program2018-19 – 2028-29$43.5M

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

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.

No significant changes detected.

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

Number of direct users of Canadian Geodetic Survey (CGS) data products
Expected result: A common Canadian reference system consistent with international standards that enables the integration of precise positioning and geographic information.
8,0182018-19✓ met8,2252019-20✓ met9,4642020-21✓ met10,8442021-22✓ met11,0062022-23✓ met12,4222023-24✓ met13,2122024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ 6,20020198,018Met
2019-20≥ 7,30020208,225Met
2020-21≥ 7,50020219,464Met
2021-22≥ 7,500202210,844Met
2022-23≥ 7,500202311,006Met
2023-24≥ 7,500202412,422Met
2024-25≥ 7,500202513,212Met

Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets

Number of direct users of Canadian Geodetic Survey (CGS) data products
Expected result: A common Canadian reference system consistent with international standards that enables the integration of precise positioning and geographic information.
7,5002026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 7,5002027—Planned

Future goals: targets due after 2026-27

No targets with a later due date.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

2018-19: $5.6M2018-19: $5.8M2018-192019-20: $5.9M2019-20: $5.7M2019-202020-21: $5.7M2020-21: $5.1M2020-212021-22: $5.5M2021-22: $5.6M2021-222022-23: $6.6M2022-23: $6.5M2022-232023-24: $6.6M2023-24: $7.4M2023-242024-25: $6.2M2024-25: $7.4M2024-252025-26: $6.3M2025-262026-27: $6M2026-272027-28: $6.1M2027-282028-29: $5.6M2028-29
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$5.6M$5.8M
2019-20$5.9M$5.7M
2020-21$5.7M$5.1M
2021-22$5.5M$5.6M
2022-23$6.6M$6.5M
2023-24$6.6M$7.4M
2024-25$6.2M$7.4M
2025-26$6.3M—
2026-27$6M—
2027-28$6.1M*—
2028-29$5.6M*—

Employees (FTEs)

2018-19: 462018-19: 402018-192019-20: 422019-20: 382019-202020-21: 372020-21: 362020-212021-22: 422021-22: 372021-222022-23: 452022-23: 362022-232023-24: 482023-24: 402023-242024-25: 412024-25: 402024-252025-26: 452025-262026-27: 422026-272027-28: 412027-282028-29: 412028-29
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
2018-194640
2019-204238
2020-213736
2021-224237
2022-234536
2023-244840
2024-254140
2025-2645—
2026-2742—
2027-2841*—
2028-2941*—

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.