Charting Canada’s Waters: A Conversation with the Hydrographer General

Hydrography is a cornerstone of safe and efficient navigation in Canada’s vast and complex waterways. From charting the world’s longest coastline to adhering to international maritime standards, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) ensures maritime safety while promoting environmental conservation and economic progress. At the forefront of this organization is Canada’s Hydrographer General, Manon Larocque.

In our conversation, Manon Larocque brings her extensive experience in public service and international negotiations to the table, showcasing her unique approach to leadership and innovation in hydrography. She talks about her work innovating traditional mapping to help bring forward an era of digital transformation with technologies like the S-100 hydrographic data standard, satellite-based bathymetry, and AI-powered tools. Mrs. Larocque shares CHS’s efforts to tackle challenges like climate change, engage with Indigenous and coastal communities on sustainable hydrographic projects, and keep Canada at the leading edge of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).

As the Hydrographer General, what are your key responsibilities, and why is this role critical for Canada?

The Hydrographer General of Canada leads the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) and is Canada’s representative to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). My key responsibilities include:

• Gathering bathymetric, hydrographic, and nautical data – such as information on tides, currents, water depths, and levels – to produce official navigation charts and tools for safe and efficient navigation in Canadian waters.
• Overseeing the charting of Canada’s extensive 131,650 nautical miles of coastline—the longest of any country—and 739,266 square nautical miles of continental shelf and territorial waters.
• Supporting other government priorities by providing up to date, authoritative and standardized hydrographic information. This work is essential to ensure the safe passage of people and goods, enabling commercial shipping, servicing remote communities in the North, and generally ensuring safe navigation.

What are the main projects CHS is currently working on, and how do they contribute to safer navigation and environmental protection?

In addition to the ongoing work for the CHS regarding the production, updating, and maintenance of our hydrographic products, there are a few projects underway to note.

First, we have CHS’ Digital Transformation:  Digital transformation is about modernizing our traditional products and services, such as transitioning from the S-57 standard to the S-100, to align with the direction of the global community as we move into a new digital era of marine navigation.         

 

For the benefit of our readers, could you please explain what S57 is?

S-57 is the current international standard for Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs), providing static data for safe maritime navigation.

Whereas S-100 is a next-generation standard designed to handle real-time data and integration with modern tools like AI, satellite-derived bathymetry, and digital twins, making navigation more dynamic and responsive to changes.

The advantages of digital transformation of navigation products and services include the ability to place near real-time information into the hands of navigators, so they have the latest information on water depths, hazards, and navigational aids for safe navigation. This increases safety by enabling updated information about new hazards to be communicated more quickly. Electronic charts based on S-100 can also be updated faster than traditional paper charts or S-57-based ENCs. These data-driven services will support more efficient shipping and contribute to environmental and sustainability goals.

Trials for these new products will take place during the 2025 survey season (from June to November 2025) in the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Our objective is to make these products available to the public by January 2026.

Next, we have Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan (OPP). CHS is supporting the Oceans Protection Plan in two ways: By advancing survey and charting in the Arctic and by working with coastal/Indigenous communities to support community needs. This work will help increase modern coverage of shipping corridors in the North and will help fill some important data gaps in the Arctic through the provision of new and updated navigational products and services.

Finally, the CHS has worked for several years on a project to determine the outer limits of Canada’s extended continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In collaboration with Global Affairs Canada and Natural Resources Canada, the CHS gathers bathymetric data and analyzes it to support Canada’s claims in the Arctic.

How is CHS engaging with Indigenous and coastal communities to address their unique hydrographic needs and priorities?

Through Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan, CHS is helping to empower Indigenous and coastal communities in collecting and using bathymetric data, enhancing their understanding of the sea floor and navigational hazards in their local waters to address their specific needs. For example, community members can install simple, inexpensive equipment on their fishing boats to collect data during everyday activities. These areas may not yet be charted to modern standards as they are outside of the priority shipping routes though they remain nonetheless crucial to the communities.

Once the data is gathered, CHS works closely with the communities to interpret and analyze the findings. Working together, we then create products tailored to local needs, such as identifying navigation risks in shallow waters or common fishing areas. This collaborative effort helps communities gain a clearer understanding of navigation challenges and ensures they have the tools needed to address them effectively. The program also ensures that the collection, access, ownership, and control of this information adhere to data sovereignty principles, respecting the communities’ rights to manage their data.

What are the biggest challenges CHS faces today, particularly with climate change and the adoption of new technologies like the S-100 hydrographic data standard?

There are numerous challenges for the CHS pertaining to climate change and new technologies.  For example, with faster-melting ice in the North and the opening of new navigation routes, the demand for modern charts in new/previously largely uncharted areas is needed. We are proud to lead this charting effort in Canada. We’re also working to leverage new technologies like drones, satellite-derived bathymetry, AI, and uncrewed survey vehicles, to capture the data needed to face Canada’s navigation challenges.  Finally, our Digital Transformation initiative described earlier really underscores how we are working to leverage modern technologies for safer and more efficient navigation.

How do you plan to maintain Canada’s leadership in global hydrography through the International Hydrographic Organization?

Canada holds an important leadership position in the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), actively participating in and supporting the Council and various working groups to shape and influence some of its standards.  Thanks to CHS staff – past and present – Canada has a stellar reputation in this international community and is recognized for its innovative flair and problem-solving attitude.  The S-100 trial in the St-Lawrence Seaway is an example of this Canadian leadership at its’ best.  We’ve opened up the trial to the international community and will be offering data ‘free of charge’ for a limited period, allowing participants to test multiple use cases and gathering feedback that will be shared openly with the IHO member states for us all to learn from this process.

What inspired you to pursue a career in hydrography, and how did your experiences, including at the Canadian Space Agency, prepare you for this role?

I am not a hydrographer by training. During my 25 years in public service, I have had the opportunity to hold various leadership roles in science-based departments like the Canadian Space Agency but also operational roles earlier in my career with Canada Customs/Canada Revenue Agency, and Global Affairs Canada.  A portion of my background involved international negotiations and representation of Canada in United Nations Committees – an experience that is serving me well now in my role with the IHO community. I have also had significant experience working in the policy field, communicating science in plain language to Canadians, establishing federal strategies requiring the involvement of multiple federal, industry, and academic partners and stakeholders, and leading transformation processes.

I would add that I see similarities in the work of the space world and the hydrographic world! They both benefit from dedicated career professionals who are passionate about their work and where international and domestic partnerships are essential to our success.

How do you plan to continue initiatives like “Empowering Women in Hydrography,” and why is diversity and inclusion important for the field?

Canada is actively involved in an IHO working group focused on advancing initiatives such as Empowering Women in Hydrography. Through this, we are looking to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion within the hydrographic field. In essence, we’re looking at how to develop the workforce of the future. We are also fostering these values at home within CHS.

Encouraging women or other equity-seeking groups to pursue opportunities in science fields or male-dominated environments is important for ensuring representation, enriching ways of thinking and working, challenging conventions and creating a more inclusive and diverse work environment.

What advice would you give to young people interested in pursuing a career in hydrography, and what kind of education or skills are essential?

The workforce of the future – and the success of the CHS – requires a combination of skills that include traditional technical and scientific skills such as hydrography, oceanography, GIS, geodesy, engineering, etc. combined with data managers/IT/AI experts to truly maximize the use of new technologies. The future employee must be agile, creative, and innovative, with an ability to exert critical thinking, communicate with clarity and conviction, and collaborate effectively in partnership with others.

I would encourage young people to speak with their teachers, their parents and neighbors about possible careers, and to visit CHS facilities if/when the opportunity presents itself.  For example, federal science open houses are great opportunities to see and hear first-hand about work in this field – you can even see CHS folks in action.  Generally, if someone has an interest in the role of Canada’s oceans from navigation, environmental, science, economic or even political perspective, there could be an interesting role for them in the future CHS!

Where do you see hydrography in Canada in the next decade, and what lasting impact do you hope to make in this role?

Over the coming decade, we should be moving to full S-100 implementation, meaning new route monitoring layers will be added over top of the Electronic Navigation Charts. We’ve talked about S-100 a lot but as you can see the benefits are many, from safer navigation to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and consumer costs.

I hope CHS continues to become increasingly agile, investing in skills of the future with new training and recruitment approaches to keep up with the world’s technological advances like AI, drones, uncrewed vehicles, satellite-derived bathymetry and more.

My role is to empower the CHS team to rise to meet this challenge and to support them through this transition; to maintain Canada’s leadership position within the context of the IHO with direct influence on how some of these changes occur; and to work towards ensuring Canada’s ports remain preferred options for the maritime community.

You are a keynote speaker at the GeoIgnite 2025 conference. Why do you believe this conference is significant for the geospatial and hydrography communities in Canada? And could you share a preview of the topic you’ll be addressing during your talk?

GeoIgnite brings together leaders from government and private sectors with intersecting backgrounds in geospatial and hydrographic worlds, together with organizations and thought leaders looking to apply innovative solutions to global challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, urban planning, infrastructure resilience and much more.  The forum provides an opportunity to exchange information, test new ideas, study new technologies and challenge the community to apply their combined knowledge to new areas, potentially leading to innovations or collaborations.

The talk will provide a short overview of the CHS, with a particular focus on the CHS’ Digital Transformation initiative and commitment to implementing the S-100 standards and advancing innovative projects in hydrography, as well as the leadership role of Canada namely by offering up the St-Lawrence Seaway as a testbed for new S-100 products and services.