A branch of the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada, the GSC is the country's oldest scientific agency and was one of its first government organizations.

Chemist T. Sterry Hunt joined in the early days and the Survey added paleontological capability in 1856 with the arrival of Elkanah Billings.

[1] After Aylesworth Perry was appointed as acting librarian in 1881 he prepared the catalogue of reference works on geology, mineralogy, metallurgy, chemistry and natural history.

Canada has the geoscience required to inform responsible resource development and environmental stewardship in both terrestrial and marine environments, and to support its extended continental shelf submissions to the United Nations.

Decision makers and communities have access to the geoscience that they need to make Canada more resilient to natural hazards and climate change, and to achieve a net-zero future.