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COMMISSION VII 
Photo Interpretation and Remote Sensing 
Reporter: Cal D Bricker, Alberta Remote Sensing Center 
The past four years has seen in Canada an increase in the use of photo interpretation and remote 
sensing for the survey and management of it natural resources. 
The acquisition, analysis and application of remotely sensed imagery - photographic and non-photogra- 
phic, is now extensively used by all segments of the country - Federal Government, provincial govern- 
ment, educational institutions, industry and the private sector. The utilization of satellite (LAND- 
SAT) and aircraft multiband imagery and other data has been developed to a practical stage. This 
technological advance has been accomplished by research and development of sensors and recording 
devices, new interpretation equipment and interpretation techniques, increased mutlidisciplinary 
co-operation to common problems and a wider dissemination of information. 
As an indication of the present importance and use being made of remote sensing in Canada, Dr. L.W. 
Morley, Director General, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, of the Federal Government, stated in his 
opening address at the Third Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, Edmonton, Alberta, 1975, "since 
1970, the Canadian Federal and Provincial Governments have spent an estimated sixty million dollars 
building up the infrastructure of remote sensing, which we have today." The essential elements 
being the Federal Government, Provincial Governments, educational institutions and private industry. 
The Canadian Remote Sensing Program is co-ordinated by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Ottawa. 
It is a national facility that was established in 1971 to administer and co-ordinate a Canadian 
Remote Sensing Program to make remote sensing available to all Canadians. Its satellite (Canada has 
its own satellite receiver station) and airborne programs for the acquisition and production of multi- 
band imagery and other remotely sensed data, is available to anyone in the country. The Centre also 
carries out research and development on the acquisition, analysis and application of remote sensing. 
Its technical information service of remote sensing documents is the focal point in Canada for the 
dissimination of technical information. 
Advice and assistance regarding the Canadian Program originates with nation-wide organizations, the 
Canadian Advisory Committee on Remote Sensing, representing federal and provincial governments, edu- 
cational institutions and private industry; and fourteen Working Groups of scientists representing 
individual disciplines. 
As the administration of resources in Canada is a provincial concern and photo interpretation and 
remote sensing in these areas is mainly carried out by local scientists with a knowledge of the area, 
provincial remote sensing centers were planned as part of the Canadian Program. Alberta, Manitoba 
and Ontario have established autonomous remote sensing centers for provincial users. As well as the 
provincial centers, seven speciality centers have been set up for specialized remote sensing studies. 
Outstanding work in photo interpretation and remote sensing have been accomplished by universities, 
private industry and government departments and other agencies. Detailed reports on programs and 
work carried out by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, the Canadian Advisory Committee on Remote 
Sensing, Working Groups, Provincial and Speciality Centers, have been published by the Canada Centre 
for Remote Sensing. 
The trend towards a multidisciplinary approach to the solution of complex problems by photo interpre- 
tation and remote sensing, noted in the Commission VII, Canada National Report, 1969-1972, to the XII 
International Congress for Photogrammetry, has continued to develop with beneficial scientific and 
economic results.  Encouraging developments are noted in the area of interpretation. Imagery acqui- 
sition has far outstripped extraction of data. Vast quantities of multiband imagery is readily sup- 
plied by LANDSAT and aircraft sensors far beyond the capability of manual interpretation. Automated 
techniques, electronic, computer and other analysis equipment is helping to eliminate the problem 
of extracting data from the great volume of materials available. To improve the quality of inter- 
pretation there was a requirement to develop practical expertise in interpreting remotely sensed 
imagery and other types of data, besides conventional air photography. 
Interpretation techniques are being improved by the provision of information through symposia, meet- 
ings, workshops and instructional courses. Three Canadian Symposia on Remote Sensing have during 
the period of this report been staged throughout the country, sponsored by the Canada Centre for 
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