14 DAY TRIAL // Canada is a big place and, with much of it being pretty remote and inaccessible, mapping it can be an arduous task. Exploring it is even harder, though, which is why plenty of people probably appreciate the effort companies like Google put into providing accurate mapping data. Google is now taking things one step further and has announced that it will begin to use new map data in Canada from various sources to provide a much more detailed view.
“The map of Canada is constantly changing - new roads are being built, highways are being renamed, and bike trails are opening. To keep up with all these changes, we've started using new map data in Canada. This new base map is built from a wide range of sources, just as we recently announced for the US in October,” Waleed Kadous, software engineer at Google, wrote.
“In Canada, we've made use of data from organizations such as the National Hydrography Network and Canadian Council on Geomatics. Once again things like satellite imagery and Street View were also helpful to make a rich, thorough base map,” he added.
Google will get data from a variety of official sources, but it is also relying on the actual users to help provide the most accurate info. Changes to the maps can take a long time to process with the official sources, so Google is asking users to notify it whenever a change or new feature renders Google Maps inaccurate. By clicking on the “Report a problem” link, users will be able to submit data like road repairs or modifications, new parks or trails, and so on.
Street View will also be greatly expanded in the country. Today, more than 150 cities are covered, but that number will grow in the coming months. The existing locations won’t be reshot, with the sole exception of Windsor, Ontario. Funnily enough, the Google Street View car passed through the town just when garbage workers were on strike. Most of the photos are littered with bags of garbage, so Google decided to have another go to present a cleaner version.