We are committed to the development of a data management and dissemination approach that meets the needs of the local oceanographic community and contributes to global ocean observing initiatives.
Expanding Access to Open Ocean Data for Atlantic Canada Through the Power of Partnerships
The Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS) is a national online platform for sharing, discovering and accessing ocean data in Canada. Data that is integrated into CIOOS will be visible regionally and nationally. CIOOS currently consists of three Regional Association (RAs).
Atlantic Canada is home to world-class researchers and centres of expertise in ocean science. CIOOS Atlantic builds on these strengths with a consortium of partners committed to the development of a data management and dissemination approach for the extensive oceanographic data collected along the Atlantic Seaboard, from Labrador to the USA.
Our mission
As Canada’s backbone for ocean data, CIOOS drives impact, generates insight, and fosters collaboration.
Our vision
In 2036…
CIOOS has established itself as Canada’s ecosystem for ocean intelligence, deepening our understanding of the ocean while powering informed decision-making and sustainable innovation.
Working together, we are shaping the future of ocean data in Canada
Our history
Connecting Canada’s Ocean Data, One Partnership at a Time
Since its inception, CIOOS has embodied the collective desire to better observe and understand Canada’s oceans. A collaboration between institutional, governmental, and non-governmental partners, CIOOS was designed as a concrete response to the need to centralise, share and make accessible Canada’s ocean data. CIOOS works to integrate fragmented and isolated ocean data by creating an open-access national platform that facilitates data discovery for end-users.
2026-2031 Strategic Plan
A National Vision for Ocean Data
The CIOOS Strategic Plan 2026-2031 builds on this foundation by setting the direction for Canada’s ocean data system over the next five years.
The plan outlines a vision to strengthen access to ocean data, advance collaboration across regions and partners, and support informed decision-making through four strategic directions: affirming CIOOS’s vital role as the trusted national source for key ocean data in Canada; empowering research, decision-makers, and Indigenous and ocean-connected communities with high-quality, FAIR and CARE-informed data and information products; strengthening CIOOS’s organizational structure, partnerships, governance, and long-term sustainability; and advancing data sovereignty through respectful, collaborative approaches to ocean knowledge. Together, these priorities position CIOOS as the trusted national backbone for ocean data and information in Canada.
