Digital Geographic Imagery of B.C.
Last updated on July 13, 2022Imagery provides a sense of the current state of a place, as well as a view into its past condition. Visual data is critical to measuring cumulative effects on the land of British Columbia.
High-resolution images are useful for mapping, research, emergency planning and natural resource management. Government agencies, industry and the general public can access digital versions of any of these images, which provide visual context about how the province has developed and changed.
Air Photos
Aerial photographs, or air photos, are images taken of the ground from a high altitude. Aerial photography in British Columbia dates as far back as the 1930s.
Orthophotos
An orthophoto is a geometrically corrected aerial photograph that displays ground features to be displayed in their true ground position with a constant scale throughout the image.
Satellite Imagery
Satellite images are photographs of the Earth taken from artificial satellites. Satellites orbiting the globe have orbit elevations and time intervals to cover and image the same area.
Aerial Triangulation
Aerial triangulation is a method for producing maps by overlapping aerial images. Aerial triangulation scans are digital aerial photos of B.C. that include aerotriangulation data:
Imagery Search Tool
Use the Web Imagery Search Interface (WIMSI) tool to find air photo or orthophoto imagery for specific locations, using coordinates, radius or dates as search parameters:
Imagery Specifications
Photo taken in Victoria, B.C. on July 18, 1946.
Topographic maps show land contours, elevation, and significant features such as roads or bodies of water. The following techniques are used to produce detailed, three-dimensional terrain in images:
Order and purchase high-definition imagery from the Base Map Online Store (BMOS).
GeoBC provides geographic imaging services to government agencies, industry and the general public.