Watercourses are line features - natural or manmade - that represent the location of flowing surface water. This product requires the use of geographic information system (GIS) software.

This spatial dataset represents the boundaries of areas designated under the [Aggregate Resources Act, R.S.O 1990](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90a08) where a licence or permit is required for aggregate extraction. Under the Act, all aggregate operations must be licensed on private land or permitted on Crown land. Use our interactive [Pits and Quarries map](https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-pits-and-quarries) to find aggregate designated areas and authorized sites.

Site Regions and Site Districts of Ontario represent an early Ecological Land Classification (ELC) system originally developed by Angus Hills. This dataset was revised by the ELC Working Group in 2000 to better reflect new information and new technology. The Site Regions of Ontario was used for descriptive, planning, and resource management purposes. This upper level in its hierarchy was most useful for provincial and regional roll-ups of data and for strategic planning. Site Districts of Ontario is a more detailed lower (finer-scale) level of the hierarchy, and was more useful for detailed resource management prescriptions and other local and site planning applications. This layer is designed to be used as a spatial selection tool and as a background layer suitable for overlay and or intersection with numerous scales or current hydrologic data.

Data set contains geographical referencing information like: * type of feature or place * location coordinates * geographic township * municipal and map references Also contains places and background information behind their official naming like: * name status * naming date * name origin * naming history This layer used to be distributed under the name "Geographic Name Extent" but was modified to "Geographic Named Extent" in November 2011. [About Geographic Names](https://www.ontario.ca/page/geographic-names)

This dataset is used for national and coarse-scale provincial reporting such as analyses of climate, demographics and watersheds.

Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) regions are divided into districts - smaller organizational units - to help manage ministry programs and resources. Extents of the districts were originally compiled by description of: metes and bounds, topographic features, geographic township boundaries, territorial district boundaries, etc. Changes to the extent of the districts have been made over time by MNR district offices. This product requires the use of geographic information system (GIS) software.

This spatial dataset represents the boundaries of the areas of responsibility for aggregate inspectors working on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. In southern Ontario, inspectors may use various criteria to determine their area of responsibility, including: * geographic township boundaries * the number of licences and permits in a given area * geographic size In northern Ontario, areas of responsibility generally follow MNRF district boundaries. Use our interactive [Pits and Quarries map](https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-pits-and-quarries) to learn more about active aggregate sites and designated areas.

A source protection area (SPA) is an area of land and water governed by a Source Protection Authority, an agency, person or body. This dataset defines the geographic boundaries where each SPA's terms of reference, assessment reports and source protection plans must be developed. *[SPA]: source protection area

This dataset was created to provide land use information on the Oak Ridges Moraine and is the basis for Ontario Regulation 140/02. The data was digitized at 1:10,000 or better using 0.5 metre air photos, MNR, DMTI, Upper and Lower-tier Official Plans and digital vector layers.

This historic dataset delineates valley segments based on a number of different natural features. The data applies to valley segments on the Ontario side of the Great Lakes. Aquatic Landscape Inventory System (ALIS) has also been incorporated into the [Aquatic Ecosystem Classification: Great Lakes Basin and Wetlands Data Class](/dataset/aquatic-ecosystems-in-the-great-lakes-basin) and the Great Lakes Conservation Blueprint for Aquatic Biodiversity datasets. We are no longer updating this data. It is best suited for historical research and analysis.