Google Maps Street View now available in Canada
Ever wanted to see what a location looks like from street level? Here’s your chance.
Google has added its famed Street View feature to Google Maps in Canada. Now, you too can scour maps to see street-level images of your destination or hunt for embarrassing and bizarre images. Or you can join the club of people uncomfortable by Google showing the world what your neighbourhood or favourite area looks like.
Street View is a Google Maps feature that shows what locations look like when viewed from street level — hence the name. Users are treated to panoramic views when Street View is activated, providing a 360-degree view of the area that can make it easier to identify homes and buildings. (Activate Street View by clicking the orange male icon)
Google first launched Street View for U.S. cities in May 2007 and have gradually added cities in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. Add Canada to that list. Residents in the following cities can use the new map mode in available areas:
- Banff
- Calgary
- Halifax
- Kitchener-Waterloo
- Montréal
- Ottawa
- Québec City
- Toronto
If you’re unfamiliar with Street View, Google has added this statement to address privacy concerns.
The imagery was gathered from public roads, and is not real-time. Identifiable faces and licenses plates are blurred automatically, but we also allow any user to flag an image for removal by clicking on the “Report a problem” link at the bottom of every Street View window.
Filed Under: Featured Posts > Tech Trends
Tags: Google, maps
hi,
This is great !
Wonderful technology.
Andreana.
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I love the feature, when is this coming to Gatineau?
Daniel
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A person’s home is their sanctuary. There is no need to be doing this to private residential streets. Commercial streets are a different story. These images are now available for download to study at liesure for the criminals to check for vulnerabilities without having to “case a place”. Now nosy neighbours or neighbourhood watch patrols can’t deal with strangers because these people know exactly where to go without hesitation. Watch for more delays in police response because of increased calls.
A very stupid idea photographing residences where you can actually zoom into & see the colour of the curtains or when the last time the place was painted. Don’t complain to law enforcement when something happens to you while you’re in the safety of your own home minding your own business. You have now made their job that much more difficult also. Think about terrorism & how they can now do their case studying from the comfort & privacy of their hideouts. Watch for higher insurance premiums.
Trying to use your place as colateral for any kind of a loan? Don’t be surprised when you get turned down because they used this soon to be outdated photo to check out where you live, since they don’t have to send someone out, or charge you extra fees to get updated info. Now a relatively easy process has become that much more challenging.
How about applying for that job? Now they can google to see if you are of the “quality” they want & if you are not – you don’t get the job. Remember, they don’t necessarily tell you the truth when you get turned down.
Big Brother doesn’t need Google to see where & how you live. They’ve been doing that for decades on their own & quite successfuly. This is not a Big Brother issue.
Just because you are allowed to photograph from the street, does NOT give you the legal right to publish these photos all over the world without the permission of the photo subject. That is an invasion of privacy. These kinds of detailed photos with zoom in features goes too far.
I feel sorry for all the single women out there who can now be stalked, & all the little kids that now can be snatched easier, because egomaniacs want to see themselves on the computer. Remember, this is world wide. One place I googled, you can actually see right through to the backyard. Where is that homeowner’s rights being protected?
Now we’re going to be pestered that much more by the con artists, marketers & all the rest out there trying to sell their crap.
I have already issued a formal complaint to the Federal Privacy Commissioner about this. Googles security features are very poor & do not go anywhere near far enough. It’s incredible how stupid all you people really are. If you’re that dumb that you can’t plan a trip without this, you have no business travelling in the first place!!
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You need to chill. I do agree that google may have some security flaws, but that does not mean you have to write an essay about the problems that YOU see this is causing. This is just a handy tool to help people get familiar with the place they might be visiting or for any other particuler reason. And how is this going to help terrorists? They probably already have ways to identify their locations and don’t stoop down as low as “Google Maps” to get the pictures they desire….you logic confuses me….
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If you think that’s an essay, you need to rethink some things. It’s about making you aware. These are concerns that are being voiced by a lot more people than myself. Do a web search to find out. This is not fear mongering or paranoia.
Just a handy tool you say? There in lies the problem. You say “a handy tool…or for any other particular reason”. What reason do you have to be in a residential area if you weren’t specifically invited (which you would have been provided directions for anyway), or to view a property that’s for sale (which you can’t view without a realtor being present)?
Just looking? That’s called “voyeurism” & that’s against the law. Google is already running into trouble with it in Germany, Switzerland, Greece, & Japan to name but 4 places. It’s not the street view that’s the issue, it’s the close ups with zoom in features that’s the problem.
Terrorists already have ways to identify things? Where do you think they got them from? They aren’t back woods idiots. Look at newscasts. Most of them are young, university educated, very tech. savy, well trained, & are better equiped than some law enforcement agencies.
If you can’t content yourself with using a paper map, or Google Earth satellite imagery/street views, or Mapquest street views, than your so-called “handy tool” isn’t going to help much either. Stick to the auto club or a travel agent for your directions. You’ll get a more INFORMED “feel” for where you want to visit.
Commercial/Entertainment districts – that’s fine. Business or residential neighbourhoods – ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
Good-bye & have a nice life. I am done with this.
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Ok, question…..
How is it, that we, the general public, have access to view over public streets etc, but yet when a child goes missing or a horrible crime occurs we can’t go back over these tapes and find out what truly happened? I mean think about it. If this is what ANYONE can look at from the comfort of there home or what have you, then what can the government/police officals look at? How is it that we have so many unsolved crimes but yet our technoligy keeps getting better? This is something I truly dont understand.
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The reason why we can’t go back over these tapes and find out what truly happened when a child goes missing or a horrible crime occurs, is because those are survellience tapes that are the private property of the owners (usually businesses)and as such, aren’t available for public viewing. In cases like that, the police are suppossed to use due dilegence in properly canvassing the area the crime occurred in to get access to these tapes.
This means knocking on doors & asking questions such as, did you see/hear anything?, do you have survellience tapes/videos we could look at? etc. If said owner doesn’t allow them to view tapes/videos when the police clearly see monitoring equipment, they have to then obtain warrants to demand the owner produce them. That takes time. Real courts don’t move as fast as you see them do on TV. By then, the criminal has usually gotten away.
The other problem is, that even though most owners co-operate with the police, the survellience equipment is usually outdated, meaning that the tapes erase over themselves every 24 or 48 hours or so, have grainy black & white images that are hard to see, or the owners don’t keep rotating the tapes/videos and keeping a 30 day or so history on hand.
More & more businesses & home owners are upgrading their equipment & employing better storage practices, but like with all things in life, it takes time & money. Ususally, it takes insurance companies to threaten with higher premiums before any real action is taken. Then and only then will the police have an easier time solving crime.
As for this Google nonsense, these are snapshots of a specific period in time. As long as that web site stays the way it is, those images will remain there for ever. They can also be permanently down loaded on to anyone’s hard drive for study purposes and that’s where I have a huge problem. First off, I did not give Google permission to broadcast a photo of my property over the internet, & I certainly did not give them permission to allow zoom features for close ups. That’s why I have taken steps to have my property removed. You should all do the same.
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I would like details on how to request that my personal address be removed.
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If you want to have your house removed, type in your address and click Street View. In the lower left corner, there should be a link to “Report a Problem”
Click on “Privacy concern” > “My House” > “I have found a picture of my house and would like it removed”
Fill-out the rest of the form with valid information and press “Submit”.
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Can the camera car inform me when is coming by my house so that I can prepare myself to look proper and handsome and not when I am taking out the garbage ?
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Can the camera car inform me when is coming by my house so that I can prepare myself to look proper and handsome and not when I am taking out the garbage ?
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No, they don’t tell anyone because they know the kind of backlash they would receive if they did. You’ll have to look prim and proper 24/7. Having said that, your wife, girl friend, significant other, or even your neighbours might appreciate the NEW you. Who knows – you might even develop a following of admirers.
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You got a point ‘No Sanctuary’! Didn’t quite thought of that. Gaining admirers that is. Good point.
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