Nova Scotia Topographic Database: Building Points and Classifications

Nova Scotia's topographic database includes a buildings layer maintained from aerial photography. Buildings over 30 meters on one side are collected as polygons, while all others are represented as points. Selected structures are field-inspected or interpreted from imagery and classified by use, such as hospitals, schools, or police stations.

Use Cases

• Classify building types using FEAT_DESC and FEAT_CODE for land-use analysis.
• Map building locations for spatial analysis using the_geom coordinates.
• Filter or analyze building data based on elevation or height attributes using the ZVALUE column.

Strengths

• Data is updated and maintained from aerial photography, suggesting a systematic collection process.
• Buildings are classified by specific use (e.g., hospitals, schools) via the FEAT_DESC column.
• Feature codes and descriptions are provided in a separate table for reference.

Limitations

• Row count and total data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

data.novascotia.ca

Collection Method

Updated and maintained from aerial photography, with field inspection for selected buildings.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 11:01:15.

Geography

Nova Scotia, Canada