GEOMAP User Guide

Here are some tips to take advantage of DepQuebec’s GEOMAP and get the most out of your searches:

1) THE RETAILER GEOMAP: DepQuebec’s GEOMAP is the first c-store online directory in Quebec, allowing you to locate 7,705 depanneurs, groceries, tobacco outlets, supermarkets and other types of stores selling food in Quebec.

Here’s how to fully enjoy its many features and make interesting and powerful searches:

  • How to access the GEOMAP:

    • You can access it by clicking on the GEOMAP menu or its advertisement located on the front page right sidebar;
    • You will then access the map with all listings from which you can navigate across the Quebec territory using your mouse as a « zoom »;
    • Click on the cross at the top left of the map to get a spectacular screen view: we highly recommend it!
    • Each individual marker that appears on the map is clickable and gives access to a complete listing of the trade in question;
    • To return to the map, you can go back or click again the GEOMAP menu.
  • Search directly from the map:

    • You can search directly on the map by entering a series of pre-determined keywords in the « Company Name » field.
    • The store names in the DepQuebec directory have been defined along the following four blocks to facilitate direct search on the map: TRADE NAME + BANNER + GAS BRAND + CHAIN ABBREVIATION 
    • Ex: Acme Boni-Soir Ultramar (SOB); Esso (BCA), Super Soir Shell (GFS) … the three-letter abbreviations are linked to the retail chains: (SOB) = Sobeys; (BCA) = Beaudry & Cadrin; (GFS) = Filgo-Sonic Group, etc. (See complete list below)
    • The three-letter codes attached to every retail chain makes it much easier to search directly on the map:

      • If you are looking for all Esso stations within the Couche-Tard network, simply enter: ESSO (COU) in the ‘Title’ field
      • If you are looking for all Boni-Soir banners that offer Ultramar gasoline, just enter: BONI-SOIR ULTRAMAR
      • If you are looking for a specific combination of banner and chain, then you should refer to the detailed search tool at below the map, explained in the next paragraph (because both terms are not side by side in the current naming system)
      • In order for the search to work, you must faithfully reproduce the sequence of letters (no « & », « + » or « and » between the search terms as is often the case)
  • Search with detailed field criteria below the map or in the right column of the site front page:

    • The detailed search tool located below the map allows you to conduct fine and precise searches involving up to 8 different criteria: category, banners, gas, chain, region, riding, keyword and proximity of a city of your choice.
    • The search results will appear automatically on another page with on a map and a detailed listing.
    • Note that if the results exceed 600 businesses, they will start appearing on several pages. The map, for its part, projects only the results that are found on the same page, not the search as a whole.
  • Search with the CHANGE LOCATION tool located on the main menu:

    • Finally, you can also use the CHANGE LOCATION search menu (on the main menu) to refine your search.
    • Specify the city you are looking for and click on the hyperlink when it appears underlined.
    • Attention to the wording: « St-Lambert » must be written « Saint-Lambert » and this is true for all the « Saints ».
    • Once the results for the city on the map, you can do more detailed searches within this cluster, as you will remain within the results of the city whose name appears on the menu.
    • To go back to the beginning, always click on the GEOMAP menu.
    • Last tip: you can obtain the total count of businesses after each search on the map by simply zooming back with the mouse until the cluster indicates the total count of stores. Hours of fun!

2) THE SUPPLIER GEOMAP: the default map that appears on the screen is always the retailer map. However, DepQuebec intends to develop, in the coming months, a complete directory of suppliers of convenience stores and groceries in Quebec.

  • Suppliers vs retailers

    • Registration to the retailer’s directory is completely free while adding a listing to the supplier’s directory costs money.
    • That’s why DepQuebec starts with nearly 8,000 fairly complete listings of retailers within its directory and a modest list of suppliers to begin with.
    • The directory will however populate fairly quickly with basic information, that suppliers will have the opportunity to complete through monthly or annual packages.
    • The search procedure is the same for both directories.

Lastly, keeping the list up-to-date and accurate remains a challenge considering that the pace of change is so high in the industry. Therefore, some errors are inevitable such as:

  • Mispelling in the name of a store and attribution of its banner, gasoline brand or chain
  • Wrong category ID
  • Address or geolocation errors (marker location lacks precision), etc.

In any case, we greatly appreciate being advised as soon as possible of such errors to make the necessary corrections so that the directory remains the most accurate possible… thanks to a collective effort!

Thank you in advance for your understanding and good luck with your search. 

 

RETAIL CHAIN CODING (note: only chains selling or delivering food are represented… oil distributors like Harnois and F. Dufresne are among those but not all, such as Groupe Crevier):