CANVEC data - logging roads missing?

I’m building some custom Orux maps for my dualsport motorcycle handlebar mounted Android table. Everything is going great and I’m loving the maps. I did notice, however (there’s always an ‘however’… this is a forum post after all :wink: ), that a lot of back roads in my area are missing. No big deal, I know CANVEC has the data, and we’re allowed to use the data… but the CANVEC OSM files downloadable from here: http://ftp2.cits.rncan.gc.ca/osm/pub/ don’t have the backroad data.

I just downloaded a section… all the creeks are there, all the public roads are there, but there’s no logging roads. :frowning:

I know the data exists because I used to work in Garmin format via the Ibycus dataset (A guy rendered the CANVEC data to Garmin IMG format). The logging roads are there in that dataset. They are also there as roads in Google Earth. They aren’t in the CANVEC OSM datasets. Any idea why?

David…

Well… just adding a little data to the above… no pun intended:

I downloaded the latest Ibycus dataset (v4) and it does NOT have the logging roads in it, except for a separate overlay img with very course data. Not very useful, actually. I’m still digging around looking for a pristine copy of my original Ibycus dataset (circa 2007) as I’ve massively edited all the areas I like to play in. No luck yet, but I’m a data pack-rat so it must be there somewhere. I did check a random area outside of my edited set and, yes, it included the private logging roads in a decent resolution.

Thus, at some point, the CANVEC data was cleared of these ways.

The question now becomes: is the old data part of what OSM can legally use? I mean, I’m already ripping the data to OSM files for my personal use, pretty easy actually, but I’m not going to upload anything I can’t verify as legal.

Any idea about who or where I can ask for clarification on this?

David…

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My solution to the lack of logging road locations is to trace them from Bing air photos that are connected to JOSM. A tedious process, but I assume it is legal because use of Bing maps has been authorized by Microsoft. I’m only talking about areas that I am familiar with, so I can be reasonably confident in the accuracy of my traces. Some ground checking may be needed in questionable areas, using a GPS unit and visual observations.

Would be happy to discuss ways and means with you in the future. I’m not familiar with the background workings of Canvec, having not used it more than rarely.

In BC you can find all the registered logging roads in the BC Digital Road Atlas on the GeoBC/DataBC website. I would imagine most other provinces maintain similar datasets.

Don’t try to download the entire province in one shot. Select the NTS map area of interest: i.e. 092B for southeastern V.I. or 082F for the Southern Kootenays or 093G for Prince George etc. If you don’t know or are not familiar with the NTS index system you can download the regional index’s (pdf) from Natural Resources Canada website.

Cheers.

There are a few caveats to this, though:
-These are only the roads that have been officially registered with the province. On Vancouver Island, we have the old E&N land grant area which is all private property, and none of the roads in there are part of the BC data. Even in the crown land areas, I often see roads that aren’t in the BC data (sometimes very old ones, too, not just new ones).
-I find a large number of the roads in the BC data are out-of-date and have either been replaced by another road (sometimes there are multiple versions of one road overlapping each other) or are so old and overgrown that they can no longer be considered a road.
-Even if a road from this data still appears to be viable based on aerial imagery, they may have been deactivated with cross-ditches or removed bridges.

I carefully added a bunch of roads one-by-one on southern Vancouver Island a while back while comparing them with aerial imagery. I now have a vehicle that can get out in those areas, so I’ve been adjusting them as necessary based on in-person surveys, adding tracktype wherever possible and adjusting classifications in the case of overgrown or deactivated roads.