About us

Organizing opportunities for members to exchange information and learn of new developments in the field.

our affiliates
meet the team

Our objectives

Organizing opportunities for members to exchange information and learn of new developments in the field.

Establishing
and maintaining

close working relationships with key associations and organizations having common goals

Promote Hydrographic
Certification

Promote awareness and provide support for professional Hydrographic Certification.

Holding
monthly meetings

of the national CHA board to determine and implement strategic directions and monitor progress.

Publishing
and maintaining

the CHA website and social media platforms to inform and notify members of upcoming events and opportunities.

Recognizing
the achievements

of an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the hydrographic profession and/or related disciplines through the annual Sam Masry Award.

Providing
financial support

to deserving students studying hydrography or a related subject through the annual CHA Bursary.

Organizing biennial
international conferences

to bring a wide spectrum of participants together to present and discuss advances in hydrography and related disciplines.

Our goals

Promote the Value of Hydrography

We aim to raise awareness about the essential role hydrography plays in navigation safety, environmental protection, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

Support Professional Growth

We provide opportunities for students, researchers, and professionals to develop their skills through seminars, scholarships, and access to the latest research and technologies.

Foster Collaboration and Community

Through events, conferences, and networking initiatives, we bring together individuals and organizations to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and drive innovation in the hydrographic industry.

Encourage Industry Leadership and Innovation

By working closely with our corporate members and partners, we support the development of cutting-edge tools and practices that shape the future of hydrography in Canada and globally.

Affiliates

The Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG) 

The Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG) is the Canadian Not-for-Profit association that re…

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The Hydrographic Society of America (THSOA)

A 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to promoting education in hydrography, inshor…

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Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS)

National regulator for Canada Lands surveying professionals.

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Meet the team

Jenny Cooper

Administration and Communications

Karen Cove

Director of Industry

Shelly Leighton

Director of Academia

Christine Delbridge

National Treasurer

Sylvain Babineau

Vice President

Dale Nicholson

President

Derrick Peyton

National Secretary

Richard Sanfaçon

Director, Public Services

Membership Testimonial

“I strongly encourage individuals and organizations alike to join the Canadian Hydrographic Association (CHA) as active members. As a leading professional non-profit, CHA connects you to a dynamic national and international network of experts – from industry, academia, government, and non-profit sectors; who are all committed to advancing hydrography, the essential foundation of the Hydrospatial Sciences. The benefits are numerous, but the connections are truly invaluable.”

— Denis Hains, CEO, H2i | Doctor Honoris Causa in Geomatics Science – July 2025

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Canadian Hydrographic Association

900 Dynes Road, Suite 100E

Ottawa ON K2C 3L6

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Sam Masry

Salem (Sam) Masry (1938-2020) immigrated to Canada from Egypt in 1966 after completion of his PhD at University College, London. He began his career at the University of New Brunswick where he became a professor and a founding member of the department of Surveying Engineering. Dr. Masry was a pioneer in the field of digital mapping and, in 1979, founded CARIS to develop digital mapping software, growing to be one of the leading companies in its field internationally. Sam received many awards in recognition of his work and his contributions to his community, including the Talbert Adams Grand Award by the American Society of Photogrammetry, appointments to the Order of Canada and the Order of New Brunswick, and an honorary Doctor of Science from UNB. Sam was an ethical and dedicated leader and entrepreneur with international influence, and a major champion for the importance of well-managed hydrographic and other digital data for the benefit of all.

Larry Mayer

Larry Mayer is a Professor and the Director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. He graduated magna cum laude with an Honors degree in Geology from the University of Rhode Island in 1973 and received a Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Marine Geophysics in 1979. At Scripps, he worked with the Marine Physical Laboratory’s Deep-Tow Geophysical package, applying this sophisticated acoustic sensor to problems of deep-sea mapping and the history of climate. After being selected as an astronaut candidate finalist for NASA’s first class of mission specialists, Larry went on to a Post-Doc at the School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island where he worked on the early development of the Chirp Sonar and problems of deep-sea sediment transport and paleoceanography. In 1982, he became an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Oceanography at Dalhousie University and in 1991 moved to the University of New Brunswick to take up the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Ocean Mapping. In 2000 Larry became the founding director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire and the co-director of the NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center.

Larry has participated in more than 95 cruises (over 75 months at sea!) and has been chief or co-chief scientist of numerous expeditions, including two legs of the Ocean Drilling Program and nine mapping expeditions in the ice-covered regions of the high Arctic. He has served on, or chaired, far too many international panels and committees and has the requisite large number of publications on a variety of topics in marine geology and geophysics. He is the recipient of the Keen Medal for Marine Geology and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Stockholm. He was a member of the President’s Panel on Ocean Exploration, National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for the Geosciences, and chaired a National Academy of Science Committee on national needs for coastal mapping and charting as well as the National Academies report on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon Spill on ecosystem services in the Gulf of Mexico. He was the co-chair of the NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Advisory Working Group, and the Vice-Chair of the Consortium of Ocean Leadership’s Board of Trustees.  He is currently the Chair of the National Academies of Science’s Oceans Studies Board, Chair of the MARUM Science Advisory Board, and is a member of the State Dept.’s Extended Continental Shelf Task Force and the Navy’s SCICEX Advisory Committee. In 2016, Larry was appointed by President Obama to the Arctic Research Commission and in 2017 he was elected to the Hydrographic Society of America Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and, in 2019, was elected as a foreign member in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.  In 2020, Larry was selected as the first recipient of the Walter Munk Medal from the The Oceanography Society and named a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union. In 2021 Larry was elected to Norwegian Academy for Polar Research.

Larry’s current research deals with increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of seafloor mapping and remote characterization of the seafloor (including the use of autonomous vehicles) as well as advanced applications of 3-D visualization to ocean mapping problems and applications of mapping to Law of the Sea issues, particularly in the Arctic.

Denis Hains

Denis Hains is a leader in the global hydrographic community and is recognized for his substantial contributions, commitment and influencer role as the global instigator of the Hydrospatial Movement Club & Community (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12556091/) and his leadership in advancing ocean mapping networking, technologies and standards.

A bit more than a year after retiring as the Director General of the Canadian Hydrographic Service with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and as Hydrographer General of Canada; he founded H2i (Hains Hydrospatial International Inc.). He is also notable for being the US-Canada representative on the International Hydrographic Review (IHR) Editorial Board of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).

Denis also holds the honor of being one of the five international members of The Nippon Foundation, General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)-Seabed 2030 Strategic Advisory Group. He also shares his expertise and leadership as an affiliate research scientist at the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping in the USA.