Announcements and important messages

Find announcements and important messages concerning the nautical charts and services section of our website. This includes scheduled maintenance, reported issues with tide and current tables, and changes to how nautical information is communicated.

Notice of name change - posted on: 2023-10-05

Please take note that the names have changed for the following Canadian Hydrographic Service tidal stations from Volume 7 - Queen Charlotte Sound to Dixon Entrance: 1) Queen Charlotte City (9850) is now Daajing Giids, 2) Port Simpson (9390) is now Lax Kw'alaams.

Review of geographical names - posted on: 2023-08-31

The records of the Canadian Hydrographic Service could contain geographical names that may be considered racist, offensive and derogatory. Geographical naming authorities are in the process of addressing many offensive place names, but the work is still ongoing. For more information about inappropriate geographical names, please contact chsinfo@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Phase 2 of the discontinuation of digital Raster Navigational Charts (RNC) has been implemented - posted on: 2023-08-31

Following the preliminary notice published in Notices to Mariners (Edition No. 08/2022, August 26, 2022) and following the consultation period, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) has implemented the second phase of the discontinuation of its digital Raster Navigational Charts (RNC) offered in BSB format. Charts that were cancelled as part of the second phase of this initiative are listed in Notices to Mariners (Edition No. 03/2023, March 31, 2023, notice *311/23).

Notice on Dynamic Vertical Clearance Forecasts - posted on: 2023-08-09

Dynamic vertical clearance forecasts (dvcf-spine1) have been restored. They are currently available via the API and the mobile application. They should be available on the website within a few days.

Notice on Port Stanley (12400) - posted on: 2023-06-27

Port Stanley is non-operational and requires on-site maintenance. This status will remain for approximately two weeks and data will be unavailable from 2023/06/08 until maintenance is complete.

Notice on Kingsville (12065) - posted on: 2023-06-20

Please note that service has been completed, and this station is now operational.

Notice on Summerstown (14940) - posted on: 2023-06-15

Summerstown station is non-operational due to on-site maintenance and repairs. The Maintenance status will remain for approximately two weeks and data will be unavailable during this time.

Notice on Ontario, Prairie, and Arctic region Water Level stations - posted on: 2023-06-07

The following stations in the Ontario and Prairie region of CHS are temporarily offline as of 2023-06-06 18:33 UTC due to communications issues. The outage is currently being investigated. Thank you for your patience.

Predictions, heights and datums updates - posted on: 2022-11-04

The predictions, heights and datums have been updated for the following stations to match chart datum on our existing products; effective November 11, 2022: Cape Blomidon (#00290), Arichat (#00580), Petite de Grat (#00582), St Peters Bay (#00587), Lewisporte (#01070), Port Hood (#01560) and Red Bay (#02600).

Notice on Port aux Basque, NL (00665) - posted on: 2022-10-13

Following the storm Fiona, the Canadian Hydrographic Service is currently experiencing problems with the water level observations at Port aux Basque, NL (00665). The prediction data is still available.

Notice on Nain, Labrador (01430) - posted on: 2022-10-12

Please note that Nain, Labrador (#01430) tide gauge will be undergoing maintenance for an extended period of time. Observation and forecast data will be unavailable during this time. Prediction data will still be available.

CHS NON-NAvigational (CHS NONNA) Bathymetric Data Update and Release - posted on: 2022-08-05

Client suggested enhancements have been implemented to the CHS NONNA Data Portal including migration to chart datum and enhanced tools for selecting and downloading large geographic areas.

Notice on Mahone Bay area stations - posted on: 2022-05-19

Please note that the Predictions, Heights, and Datums have been updated for the following stations to match chart datum on our existing products; effective May 18, 2022: Lunenburg (#00455), Chester (#00465), Owls Head (#00473), Mill Cove (#00475), Blandford (#00479), Hubbards (#00480), Indian Harbour (#00484), Cliff Cove (#00485), Sambro Harbour (#00488).

Notice on Bar Point (12005) - posted on: 2022-05-04

Please note that station Bar Point (12005) is offline. Maintenance is required to bring it back into operation. No data will be available during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Phase 1 of the discontinuation of digital Raster Navigational Charts (RNC) has begun - posted on: 2022-04-21

Following the preliminary notice published in Notices to Mariners (Edition No. 06/2021, June 25, 2021) and following the consultation period, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) has begun the discontinuation, in progressive phases, of its digital Raster Navigational Charts (RNC) offered in BSB format.

Notice on Saint John, NB (00065) - posted on: 2022-03-28

Please note that Saint John, NB (#00065) tide gauge will be undergoing maintenance for an extended period of time. The estimated completion date is April 30. Observation and forecast data will be unavailable during this time. Prediction data will still be available.

CHS Nautical Publications: Free and always up-to-date digital downloads - Printing to be Discontinued - posted on: 2022-01-05

All of the Canadian Hydrographic Service's nautical publications are now available as free digital downloads. Providing free digital nautical publications means easier access to up-to-date information for safer navigation. The Canadian Hydrographic Service will permanently discontinue the printing of all volumes listed below effective March 1^st, 2022.

Sailing Directions: Updates to be included directly in the publication for easy reference - posted on: 2022-01-04

Sailing Directions are updated throughout the year to help ensure safe navigation. The process to communicate these changes to mariners will be amended as follows starting January 2022.

Notice of name change - posted on: 2021-10-13

Please take note that the names have changed for the following Canadian Hydrographic Service tidal stations from Volume 4 - Arctic and Hudson Bay: 1) Hall Beach (5275) is now Sanirajak, 2) Cape Dorset (4245) is now Kinngait.

Moving towards Electronic Navigational Charts for safer navigation - posted on: 2021-07-19

To better align with international standards and best practices, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) will be phasing out Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) to offer safer Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) products and services.

Web services and Rest-API - posted on: 2021-05-04

As of 12:00 pm EDT on Monday, May 3^rd, 2021, the old Canadian Hydrographic Service WDS services (observations and predictions) have been decommissioned. Please refer to the web services page for information on using the new REST-API for direct access to official water level data and other available services.

Canadian Tide and Current Tables – Chart 1 – printing to be discontinued - posted on: 2020-09-30

The Canadian Hydrographic Service has just announced printing to be discontinued for the Canadian Tide and Current Tables and Chart #1 in the September monthly edition of the Notices to Mariners referring mariners to the pdf versions available online. This decision is related to the transformation plan being put forward at CHS to better meet digital product needs.

Notice on Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue (#16005) and Pointe-Claire (#15330) - posted on: 2020-03-23

Please note that the CHS tides database can no longer manage the data received from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for the following stations: Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue (#16005) and Pointe-Claire (#15330). We are currently building a new system that will support these stations which will be available later this year.

Notice on Holyrood (00925) station 2020 data - posted on: 2020-02-12

An issue was discovered in the calculations for Holyrood (00925) station 2020 data. Corrections have been applied and the WDS has been updated. If you have acquired data from the WDS service for Holyrood (00925) station prior to Tuesday February 11th 2020, please be advised you must re-download the data starting Dec 14th 2019 and onward through 2020.

Notice for users of the WDS tidal prediction data service - posted on: 2019-12-05

Users of the WDS tidal prediction data service: A problem developed with water level prediction data on the WDS service following loading of new 2020 data, which commenced on Nov 10, 2019. If you have acquired data from the WDS service on or prior to Thursday Dec 5th 2019, please be advised you must re-download all tidal predictions starting Dec 14th 2019 and onward through 2020.