User Requirements for Data

Owned by Diego Cesa de Meira (Unlicensed)
Jul 31, 2019
6 min read

Transport Canada (TC) regulates all modes of transportation, air, rail, road and marine, and is responsible for implementing its policies and programs to ensure a secure, efficient, clean and safe transportation system.

In enforcing its policy and legislation, TC formulated principles, rules, standards, specifications and guidelines adopted by the department. E.g. Aeronautical Act, Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, Railway Safety Act, Navigation Protection Act, etc.

To assist regulators and inspector in performing their duties effectively and efficiently, geospatial data which meets TC users’ requirement is essential, data that is unique, relevant and based in TC standards and regulations.

Programs and Services

Program (ACAP) – Grants and Contribution

Regional airports plays an essential role in Canada’s air transportation. However, some airport struggle to raise enough revenue for operation.

Airport Capital Assistance Programs (ACAP) has been funding improvement projects for regional airports since 1995. Only airports which are ACAP eligible are entitled for the funding. Several criteria must be met by the airports in order to be qualified including aerodrome status, passenger statistic and scheduled traffic.

The ACAP Airport overlay is a subset of Canada Airports extracted based on these criteria. It is served as a reference tool for Funding Officer to quickly has a grasp of airport current status. Attributes such as runways, critical aircraft and operator are beneficial. Approved ACAP Projects from past years, generated from ACAP Database provides a quick overview of past projects funded enabling the Funding Officer to make a smart approval selection process based on needs and urgency.

Navigation Protection Act (NPA) – Scheduled Waterways

The Navigation Protection Act is the result of the 2012 amendments to Navigable Water Protection Act (NWPA). The List of Scheduled Waters includes the busiest waterways in Canada for which regulatory approval is required for works that risk a substantial interference with navigation. The Navigation Protection Program (NPP) refers to “scheduled” and “non-scheduled” navigable waters to indicate waterways that are or are not listed on the schedule.

The NPP Scheduled Waterways overlay, which is a subset of National Hydro Network (1:50K) is extracted based on the List of Scheduled Waters description. When a proponent submits a project for approval, whether it is in the vicinity of scheduled waters affects the owner’s obligation and option. Using this overlay, the NPP Officer can decide if the project requires further review and assessment.

The NPP Projects overlay is a collection of past approved projects. User can easily identify the type of projects approved in an area of interest; determine the accumulative effects on the environment and make good decisions.

Aboriginal Consultation – Duty to Consult

In developing guidelines and establishing partnership, the Government of Canada engages with Indigenous people for many reasons, including the duty to consult and accommodate. The duty arises most often when actions or decisions that may affect an Aboriginal person’s Aboriginal or Treaty rights on natural resource extraction such as mining, forestry, oil and gas.

The First Nation Administrative Boundary overlay consists of Indian Reserves, Historic Treaties, Land Claims, Traditional Territories, Settlements, First Nation Bands, Friendship Centres and Tribal Councils. Complementary layers includes MPMO/NPMO Projects, Alberta Oil Sands and Northern Resources. Using this tool, Aboriginal Comsultation Officer can easily identify First Nations to be consulted and the appropriate stakeholders involved in the vicinity of the proposed project.

TC DFRP - Real Property Verification

The TC Directory of Federal Real Property (DFRP) is the central record of real property holdings of Transport Canada which is a subset of the Government of Canada DFRP. It is administered by the Programs Group Real Property Branch.

The purpose of the Directory is to maintain a contemporary record of basic information concerning the real property holdings of the Government of Canada. Information held in the Directory is used to keep the Government of Canada informed about the scale and major components of its real property inventory. It is also used to provide information to ministers, members of Parliament and the general public concerning a specific property or group of properties within a particular geographic area.

Aviation Safety

Limitation Surfaces and Airport Zoning Regulation

Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) are the airspace around the runway to be maintained free of obstacles.
From a regulatory perspective, the authority for the designation of and control of the use of lands located outside of aerodrome property rests with provincial/municipal levels of government. The only exception to this fact, in the aviation case, occurs where an airport zoning regulation (AZR), made pursuant to the Aeronautics Act, is in force. The Minister of Transport may exercise authority only over lands that are included in an AZR made pursuant to the Act. An AZR contains restrictive clauses that describe the activities and uses that are restricted or prohibited and contains a legal description of the lands to which it applies.

Restrictions and or prohibitions contained in a zoning regulation may range from limiting the height of structures to prohibiting specified land uses or to prohibiting facilities that may interfere with signals or communications to/from aircraft. Using the OLS/AZR overlay, Aviation Inspectors can easily identify maximum structure height within the Outer Surface, Transition Surface and Approach Surface of the OLS.

Restricted Airspace - UAV Legislation

According to Canada’s national aviation authority, Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), flying a drone is legal in Canada; however, operator must be aware of and compliant with the drone regulations.

“No drone zones” are areas where it may be unsafe or illegal to fly your drone, such as:

  • around airports and aerodromes

  • in busy, populated areas

  • in national parks

  • over border crossings

The Drone No-fly Zone depicts the extent of the UAV restricted airspace around airports, seaplane base and heliports based on TC regulation.

Rail Safety

National Railway Network – Rail safety and security

The NRN is a collection of railway tracks, grade crossings, marker posts, train stations and railway bridges.
The Railway Safety Act provides and promotes the safety and security of the public and the protection of property and the environment, in railway operations.

A grade crossing is an intersection where a road or path crosses railway tracks at the same level. There are over 30,000 grade crossings and 48,000 km of tracks in Canada. Railway companies and road authorities (provinces, municipalities, band councils) and private owners are each responsible for managing railway crossing safety in Canada.

The NRN overlay provides a comprehensive overview of tracks and grade crossings for Railway Inspectors to quickly identify stakeholders, jurisdictions and authorities involved during inspections or in the event of rail incidents.

Marine Safety

Vessel Operator Restriction Regulation (VORR)

The Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR), established under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA 2001) allow any level of government (federal, provincial, municipal and territorial government authorities) to ask the federal government to restrict the use of all boats, either pleasure craft or commercial vessels on all bodies of water in Canada. They may help achieve safety, environmental or public interest objectives. Such restrictions may:

  • Prohibit all boats

  • Limit engine power or type of propulsion

  • Impose speed limits

  • Restrict towing activities on any sporting or recreational equipment including wake surfing

  • Prohibit a sporting, recreational or public event or activity

The VORR overlay identifies sections of the waterways where such restrictions are enforced.

Marine Oil Handling Facilities

Oil Handling Facilities are marine terminals where oil and oil products are loaded and unloaded. Under Canada Shipping Act, they are required to have an oil pollution emergency plan, as well as response equipment on site during the transfer.

In Canada, there are 4 response agencies:

  • Atlantic Emergency Response Team (NB)

  • Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ON)

  • Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (BC)

  • Point Tupper Marine Services (NS)

With this overlay, Marine Inspector can quickly identify terminal facilities and stakeholders before conducting a site inspection.

Summary

TC users have a special requirement for data, data that is unique in the sense that it is created and generated based on TC regulations, specifications and standards, it must be focused and relevant.

As majority of the users are non-GIS professionals, it is important that the GIS system is simple to use, robust with intuitive interface and content richness with relevant information.