Base Map Online Store

Account Requirements 

To use the application, you will need to sign in with: 

• Basic BCeID for the general public (can be setup online in a few minutes)
• Business BCeID for registered companies
• IDIR for internal B.C. Government employees

Browser Requirements

Internet Explorer 11 is not a supported browser for the Base Map Online Store. Alternative browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. The application is not optimised for smart phone or tablets and is not guaranteed to function correctly on those devices. The minimum supported screen width is 768 pixels.

*Note: Javascript must be enabled in the browser for the application to function.

All base map and ortho products are ordered by mapsheet using the Maps and Orthos Viewer. Mapsheet products are available for the NTS 250K grid and the BCGS 20K grid.

To find products, go to your area of interest by:

• Panning and zooming the map to locate the 250k or 20k mapsheet OR
• Using the search tools to find a place name, address or mapsheet

Separate tabs show the available products for the 250k and 20k mapsheets. When you first open the viewer, these tabs are disabled. Searching for a mapsheet or clicking on the map will enable the tabs and list the products for that sheet. Zooming in until the scale bar at the bottom left of the map reads 5km/5 mi or less will display the 20k mapsheet grid.

*Note: Searching for a place name or address will zoom the map, but will not update the list of products. Click on a mapsheet after the search to update the list.

Free products have a download icon or a folder icon . Click the icon to directly download the file or browse the folder. Paid products have a cart icon. Click the icon to add the item to your cart. You can add and remove items from your cart at any time before payment is completed.

*Note: for hillshade, please review the available options before adding an item to the cart.

Products may have options available for file format. These are selected when adding the item to the cart, and can be changed before finalizing the order.

Air photos are ordered by the individual photo or film roll using the Air Photo Viewer. There are two main ways to find available photos:

• Using the location search tools or map to find photos within an area
• Searching for the roll and frame (for advanced users who already have the photo details)

To use the search tools and map, enter a place name, address or mapsheet number to find a location, or use the map to zoom to the area. Zooming in until the scale bar at the bottom left of the map reads 1 km/3000 ft or less will enable the search button. Click the search button to display the flight lines and photo centres.

The summary on the left side will list all film rolls for the most current year, with the number of photos for that roll that are within the search area. Clicking the drop down menu next to the year will show a list of all years with photos in the area. Selecting a different year will update the map display and summary information.

You can view details on the photos and add items to the cart as follows:

• Clicking on a film roll in the results (e.g. bcb97003) will expand the list and highlight the photo centres on the map
  • To collapse the list, click the film roll again
• Clicking an individual photo in the list, or photo centre on the map will highlight that photo and open the photo details with thumbnail (if available)
• Clicking the thumbnail will open a larger view in a new window
• Clicking the cart button next to a film roll will add all the photos within the list for that roll to the cart
• To add a single photo to the cart, expand the list and click the cart icon for the individual photo

The following base mapping products are available to order from the Base Map Online Store (BMOS):

All prices indicated throughout the order are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

The total cost of the order includes:

• Product costs
• Service costs (if applicable)
• Taxes
• Shipping charges (if applicable)

On your Visa, MasterCard or American Express statement, please look for a billing charge from the Base Map Online Store.

When you shop at the Base Map Online Store, you'll need to pay provincial and federal taxes on your purchases. The amount of tax depends on where you live, and it will be added to your total when you check out. If you live outside of Canada, you won't have to pay taxes on the product or shipping fees.

 Before you click "Submit and Pay," double-check your order details to make sure everything is correct. Once you've paid with your credit card, you can't cancel the order online. For certain items, you might be able to cancel if it hasn't been processed yet.

If you want to cancel your order, send an email to GeoBCinfo@gov.bc.ca with the order number and details. If cancellation is possible, you will get confirmation in an email. Approved refunds will show up on your credit card statement later.

You must complete payment before your items are delivered. Once ordered, delivered materials have no returnable value. An exception is made for items returned within seven (7) days of receipt when:

• incorrect items are shipped 
• items are damaged during shipment

Whether you get a refund is at the sole discretion of the data distributor.

Online products will be available to download in the format you requested. You will receive an email with an FTP link to download your order. Online orders will be available for download for a period of seven business days. After seven business days, your order will be purged from the FTP server.

For orders that need human support, like orthophotos or air photos, it will take longer. Orthophotos take three to five business days, while air photos take 10 to 15 business days.

The delivery times listed on the product pages are averages based on order size, backlog, and available technicians. Orders are processed in the order they're received. Larger orders might take longer than expected.

If you need digital photos for a court case, a rush may be ordered if you provide a court file number with your order. You can specify this in the Special Instructions section when adding items to your cart. Rush orders are subject to approval and  turnaround times cannot be guaranteed.

If you are a TRIM Data Exchange Agreement (DEA) partner or an educational institution in British Columbia, you may be entitled to receive certain products at reduced or no charge. Email GeoBCinfo@gov.bc.ca for further information. They will forward your request to the appropriate data distributor.