Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory Open Dataset Data Dictionary

Table of Content

XML File Structure Overview

The Open Data dataset for the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI) is contained in a single extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

The root element of the document is FederalContaminatedSitesInventory, and all data is contained with it. There is a hierarchy to the records in the file, as shown in this tree:

  • FederalContaminatedSitesInventory
    • ReportingOrganizations
    • Sites
      • Attributes
        • FederalSiteIdentifier
        • ReportingOrganization
        • Created
        • LastModified
      • Elements
        • Name
        • SiteStatus
        • Classification
        • PropertyNumber
        • ReasonforFederalInvolvement
        • Location
        • ManagementStrategy
        • ContaminationDetails
        • ActionPlan
        • AdditionalInformation
        • PopulationCounts
        • AnnualData
          • Attributes
            • FiscalYear
            • ReportingOrganization
          • Elements
            • HighestStepCompleted
            • TotalAssessmentExpenditure
            • TotalRemediationExpenditure
            • TotalCareMaintenanceExpenditure
            • TotalMonitoringExpenditgure
            • FCSAPAssessmentExpenditure
            • FCSAPRemediationExpenditure
            • FCSAPCareMaintenanceExpenditure
            • FCSAPMonitoringExpenditure
            • RemediationAmounts
            • Closed

ReportingOrganizations Element

This element contains multiple ReportingOrganization elements. The reporting organization identifies the federal government department, agency or consolidated Crown Corporation responsible for reporting a site to the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI).

ReportingOrganizations Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
ReportingOrganization Element N This element contains the code and name of a reporting organization.

ReportingOrganization Element

This element contains the code and name of a reporting organization.

ReportingOrganization Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
Code Element N This element contains the 3 character code representing a reporting organization.
Name Element N This element contains the full name of the reporting organization in English and French. Refer to the "Name Element" section for further details.

Sites Element

This element contains multiple Site elements.

Sites Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
Site Element N This element contains the data record for a federal contaminated site. Refer to the "Site Element" section for further details.

Site Element

This element contains the tombstone data record for a federal contaminated site. This data includes a set of information describing the site such as the location and types of contaminants.

Site Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
SiteIdentifier Attribute N This attribute is the federal site identifier for the site. It is an 8 character identifier that uniquely identifies a site in the FCSI.
ReportingOrganization Attribute N This attribute identifies the reporting organization that reports the site to the FCSI. The reporting organization may be a federal government Department, Agency or consolidated Crown corporation.
Created Attribute N This attribute identifies the date that the record was first created in the FCSI.
LastModified Attribute N This attribute identifies the date that the record was last modified by the reporting organization.
Name Element Y This element contains the site name in English and French. Refer to the "Name Element" section for further details.
SiteStatus Element N This element contains the status and status description for a site record.  Refer to the "SiteStatus Element" section for further details.
Classification Element Y This element identifies the classification of the site. Sites are classified using either the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment - National Classification System for Contaminated Sites or classification systems developed by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. Refer to the "Classification Element" section for further details.
PropertyNumber Element Y This element contains a five-digit number that uniquely identifies the property in the Directory of Federal Real Property (DFRP) that a site is located on. A DFRP property number is required if the Reason for Federal Involvement value is "Federal Real Property".
ReasonForFederalInvolvement Element N This element identifies the reason that the federal government is involved with the site. Refer to the "ReasonForFederalInvolvement Element" section for further details.
Location Element N This element contains information on the geographic location of a site. Refer to the "Location Element" section for further details.
ManagementStrategy Element Y This element contains one or more Management Types which define the approach being used to assess, manage or remediate a site. Refer to the "ManagementType Element" section for further details.
ContaminationDetails Element Y This element contains information about the nature and extent of contamination present at a site. Refer to the "ContaminationDetails Element" section for further details.
ActionPlan Element Y This element contains information on the reporting organization’s plan for the management of the site. Refer to the "ActionPlan Element" section for further details.
AdditionalInformation Element Y This element contains additional information that a reporting organization may report on a site. This could include other reasons for federal involvement, other contaminants, important factors associated with the site, limitations on site use, etc. Refer to the "AdditionalInformation Element" section for further details.
PopulationCounts Element N This element contains estimates of population counts at specified distances from the site location. Refer to the "PopulationCounts Element" section for further details.
AnnualData Element Y This element contains the data reported annually for a site. Refer to the "AnnualData Element" section for further details.

AnnualData Element

This element contains the data reported annually for a site which includes site expenditure information.

Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
FiscalYear Attribute N This attribute identifies the applicable fiscal year to which the annual data applies.
ReportingOrganization Attribute N This attribute identifies the code for the reporting organization that supplied the annual data record to the FCSI for a particular fiscal year.  The reporting organization is the federal government Department, Agency or consolidated Crown corporation responsible for reporting a site to the FCSI.
HighestStepCompleted Element N This element identifies the highest step that has been completed in the management of a site. Descriptions of the 10-step process can be found in A Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites.
TotalAssessmentExpenditure Element N This element indicates the total expenditure on assessment activities for the site during the fiscal year reported.
TotalRemediationExpenditure Element N This element indicates the total expenditure on remediation activities for the site during the fiscal year reported.
TotalCareMaintenanceExpenditure Element N This element indicates the total expenditure on care and maintenance activities for the site during the fiscal year reported.
TotalMonitoringExpenditure Element N This element indicates the total expenditure on monitoring activities for the site during the fiscal year reported.
FCSAPAssessmentExpenditure Element N This element indicates the assessment expenditure funded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) for the site during the fiscal year reported. Note that the FCSAP Assessment Expenditure is included in the Total Assessment Expenditure field.
FCSAPRemediationExpenditure Element N This element indicates the remediation expenditure funded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) for the site during the fiscal year reported. Note that the FCSAP Remediation Expenditure is included in the Total Remediation Expenditure field.
FCSAPCareMaintenanceExpenditure Element N This element indicates the care and maintenance expenditure funded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) for the site during the fiscal year reported. Note that the FCSAP Care and Maintenance Expenditure is included in the Total Care and Maintenance Expenditure field.
FCSAPMonitoringExpenditure Element N This element indicates the monitoring expenditure funded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) for the site during the fiscal year reported. Note that the FCSAP Monitoring Expenditure is included in the Total Monitoring Expenditure field.
RemediationAmounts Element N This element indicates the actual amount of contamination remediated for the site during the fiscal year reported. Measurements are to be reported in one or more of cubic meters, hectares, and tons. Refer to the "RemediationAmounts Element" section for further details.
Closed Element N This element indicates if the site is closed during the fiscal year reported. Once a site has been closed, the reporting of annual data is no longer required.

Name Element

This element contains an EN and FR element.

Name Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value.

SiteStatus Element

This element contains the site status and status description for a site record.

SiteStatus Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
Status Element N This element indicates the status of a site: Suspected, Active, or Closed. Refer to the "Status Element" section for further details.
Description Element N This element contains a status description for a site. The status description is generated based on a combination of the Highest Step Completed and the Closed flag. Refer to the "Description Element" section for further details.

Status Element

This element contains an EN and FR element, and indicates whether the site status is Suspected, Active or Closed.

Status Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English status string.
FR Element N This element contains the French status string.

Description Element

This element contains an EN and FR element and contains the site status description. The status description is generated based on a combination of the Highest Step Completed and the Closed flag.

Description Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English status description string.
FR Element N This element contains the French status description string.

Classification Element

This element contains the classification of a site. Sites are classified using either the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) National Classification System for Contaminated Sites or classification systems developed by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan.

Classification Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
Code Element N This element indicates the classification code value.
Name Element N This element contains the classification name. Refer to the "Name Element" section for further details.

ReasonForFederalInvolvement Element

This element contains an EN and FR element and identifies the reason that the federal government is involved with the site.

ReasonForFederalInvolvement Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value for the Reason for Federal Involvement.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the Reason for Federal Involvement.

Location Element

This element contains location information for a site record.

Location Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
sgc Attribute Y This attribute contains the Standard Geographic Classification (SGC) code, which is a code from the Canadian Census that identifies the Census Subdivision in which the site is located. This code only exists for sites located in Canada.

More information about the Standard Geographic (SGC) Classification code can be obtained from Statistics Canada.
fed Attribute Y This attribute identifies the Federal Electoral District code in which the site is located. This is commonly known as the federal riding. This code only exists for sites located in Canada.

More information about the Federal Electoral District (FED)  code can be obtained from Statistic Canada.
MiniMapURL Element Y This element contains the URL to view a map thumbnail image of a site’s location.
Latitude Element N This element contains the decimal latitude for the location of the site.
Longitude Element N This element contains the decimal longitude for the location of the site.
Municipality Element Y This element identifies the municipality in which a site is located. This information exists only for sites located in Canada.
Province Element Y This element identifies the name of the province or territory in which a site is located. This information exists only for sites located in Canada.
FederalElectoralDistrict Element Y This element identifies the name of the federal electoral district in which a site is located. This information exists only for sites located in Canada. Refer to the "FederalElectoralDistrict Element" section for further details.
Country Element N This element contains the name of the country in which a site is located. Refer to the "Country Element" section for further details.

FederalElectoralDistrict Element

This element contains an EN and FR element containing the Federal Electoral District name.

FederalElectoralDistrict Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value for the name of the Federal Electoral District in which the site is located.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the name of the Federal Electoral District in which the site is located.

Country Element

This element contains an EN and FR element containing the Country name.

Country Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value for the name of the Country in which the site is located.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the name of the Country in which the site is located.

ManagementType Element

This element contains the management type code and name for a management strategy. The management type identifies the approach(es) being used to assess, manage or remediate a site.

ManagementType Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
code Attribute N This attribute indicates the code value for the management type.
EN Element N This element contains the English string value for the name of the management type.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the name of the management type.

ContaminationDetails Element

This element contains the details of the contamination.

ContaminationDetails Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
ContaminationEstimates Element Y This element contains the estimated amount of contamination at the site. Refer to the "ContaminationEstimates Element" section for further details.
ContaminatedMedia Element Y This element contains the type of contamination and affected medium at the site. One or more types of contamination and affected medium can be present. Refer to the "ContaminatedMedia Element" section for further details.

ContaminationEstimates Element

This element contains the estimated amounts of contamination reported for a site at the time of assessment. A minimum of one estimate is required, although multiple estimates can be reported.

ContaminationEstimates Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
CubicMetres Element Y This element indicates the cubic meters of contamination recorded at the site.
Hectares Element Y This element indicates the hectares of contamination recorded at the site.
Tons Element Y This element indicates the tons of contamination recorded at the site.

ContaminatedMedia Element

This element contains the contaminant type and affected medium. The contaminant and affected medium are always reported in pairs.

ContaminatedMedia Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
Contamination Element N This element indicates the name of the contaminant type and associated code. Refer to the "Contamination Element" section for further details.
Medium Element N This element indicates the name of the contaminated medium and associated code. Refer to the "Medium Element" section for further details.

Contamination Element

This element contains the contaminant type and code. A site may report multiple contaminant types.

Contamination Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
code Attribute N This attribute indicates the code value for the type of contamination present at a site.
EN Element N >This element contains the English string value for the name of the contaminant type.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the name of the contaminant type.

Medium Element

This element contains the contaminated medium type and code. Every contaminant type reported on a site must have a corresponding medium.

Medium Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
code Attribute N This attribute indicates the code value for the medium type.
EN Element N This element contains the English string value for the name of the medium type.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value for the name of the medium type.

ActionPlan Element

This element contains an EN and FR element containing the action plan text. The Action Plan presents information on the reporting organization’s plan for the management of the site.

ActionPlan Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value of the Action Plan text.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value of the Action Plan text.

AdditionalInformation Element

This element contains an EN and FR element containing the additional information text. Additional information could include other reasons for federal involvement, other contaminants, important factors associated with the site, limitations on site use, etc.

AdditionalInformation Elemen
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
EN Element N This element contains the English string value of the Additional Information text.
FR Element N This element contains the French string value of the Additional Information text.

PopulationCounts Element

This element contains the population estimates within a radial distance from a site. These figures are generated using census data and are only available for sites located in Canada.

PopulationCounts Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
KM1 Element N This element indicates the population estimate within a 1 km distance from the site.
KM5 Element N This element indicates the population estimate within a 5 km distance from the site.
KM10 Element N This element indicates the population estimate within a 10 km distance from the site.
KM25 Element N This element indicates the population estimate within a 25 km distance from the site.
KM50 Element N This element indicates the population estimate within a 50 km distance from the site.

RemediationAmounts Element

This element contains the amounts of contamination that have been remediated in a given fiscal year.

RemediationAmounts Element
Data Element Name XML Element or Attribute Optional (Y/N) Description
CubicMetres Element Y This element indicates the cubic meters of contamination remediated at the site in a fiscal year.
Hectares Element Y This element indicates the hectares of contamination remediated at the site in a fiscal year.
Tons Element Y This element indicates the tons of contamination remediated at the site in a fiscal year.