Vector grid system for a Quebec spatial data infrastructure, 2026 update

The vector grid system provides a spatial and statistical infrastructure that allows the integration of environmental and socio-economic data. Its exploitation allows the crossing of different spatial data within the same grid units. Project results obtained using this grid system can be more easily linked. 

This grid system forms the geographic and statistical infrastructure of the [Southern Quebec Land Accounts] (https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/document/comptes-des-terres-du-quebec-meridional-regions-administratives-et-provinces-naturelles) of the Institut de la Statistique du Québec (ISQ). It forms the geospatial and statistical context for the development of ecosystem accounting in Quebec. 

**In order to improve the vector grid system and the Land Accounts of Southern Quebec and to better anticipate the future needs of users, we would like to be informed of their use (field of application, objectives of use, territory, association with other products, etc.). You can write to us at maxime.keith@stat.gouv.qc.ca **. 

This grid system allows the spatial integration of various data relating, for example, to human populations, the economy or the characteristics of land. The ISQ wishes to encourage the use of this system in projects that require the integration of several data sources, the analysis of this data at different spatial scales and the monitoring of this data over time. The fixed geographic references of the grids simplify the compilation of statistics according to different territorial divisions and facilitate the monitoring of changes over time. In particular, the grid system promotes the consistency of data at the provincial level. 

The spatial intersection of the grid and the spatial data layer to be integrated makes it possible to transfer the information underlying the layer within each cell of the grid. In the case of the Southern Quebec Land Accounts, the spatial intersection of the grid and each of the three land cover layers (1990s, 2000s and 2010s) made it possible to report the dominant coverage within each grid cell. The set of [matrix files of Southern Quebec Land Accounts] (https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/fr/dataset/comptes-des-terres-du-quebec-meridional-changement-de-la-couverture-terrestre) is the result of this intersection. 

**Features: **
The product includes two vector grids: one made up of cells of 1 km² (or 1,000 m on a side), which covers all of Quebec, and another of 2,500 m² cells (or 50 m on a side, i.e. a quarter of a hectare), which fits perfectly into the first and covers Quebec territory located south of the 52nd parallel. Note that the nomenclature of this system, designed according to a Cartesian plan, was developed so that it was possible to integrate cells with finer resolutions (up to 5 meters on a side). 

In its 2026 update, the 50 m grid system is divided into 331 parts with a side of 50 km in order to limit the number of cells per part of the grid to millions and thus facilitate geospatial processing. This grid includes a total of approximately 350 million cells or 875,000 km2. It is backwards compatible with the 50 m grid broadcast by the ISQ in 2018 (spatial structure and unique identifiers are identical, only the fragmentation is different).

**Attribute information for 50 m cells: **

* id_M50: unique code of the cell;

* CO_MUN_2024: geographic code of the municipality of September 2024;

* CERQ_NV2: code of the natural region of the Quebec ecological reference framework;

* CL_COUV_T00, CL_COUV_T01a, CL_COUV_T01a, CL_COUV_T01b, CL_COUV_T02: land cover class codes from maps from the years 1990, 2000 and 2010. 

Note: the 2000s are covered by two land cover maps: CL_COUV_T01A and CL_COUV_T01b. The first inventories land cover prior to reassessment using the 2010s map, while the second shows land cover after this reassessment process.


**Complementary entity classes: **
 
* index_grid50m: index of the parts of the grid;

* Decoupage_mun_09_2024: division of municipalities;

* Decoupage_mrc_09_2024: division of geographical MRCs; 

* Decoupage_ra_09_2024: division of administrative regions. 
Source: System on administrative divisions [SDA] of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests [MRNF], September 2024, allows statistical compilations to be carried out according to administrative divisions hierarchically superior to municipalities.

* Decoupage_CERQ_NV1_2018: division of CERQ level 1, natural provinces;

* Decoupage_CERQ_NV2_2018: division of CERQ level 2, natural regions.
Source: Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks [MELCCFP].

**Geospatial processes delivered with the grid (only with the FGDB data format, compatible with ArcGIS Pro) :**

* ModelBuilder ArcGIS Pro, allows the spatial intersection and the selection of the dominant value of a new geographic division to populate the grid (Tools\ 1_add_separation_geography); 

* ModelBuilder ArcGIS Pro, allows the statistical compilation of results according to different sections entered in the grid (Tools\ 2_compilation_stat_grille50m).

Additional information on the grid in the report [Southern Quebec Land Accounts] (https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/fichier/comptes-des-terres-du-quebec-meridional-edition-revisee.pdf#page=46) published in October 2018 (p. 46). 
View the results of the Southern Quebec Land Accounts on the [interactive map] (https://statistique.quebec.ca/cartovista/comptes_terres/index.html) of the Institut de la Statistique du Québec.
**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Organization: Government and Municipalities of Québec | Gouvernement et municipalités du Québec