Canadian system of soil classification

The Canadian system of soil classification is more closely related to the American system than any other. They differ in several ways. The Canadian system is designed to cover only Canadian soils. The Canadian system dispenses with a sub-order hierarchical level. Solonetzic and Gleysolic soils are differentiated at the order level. The American system is designed so that surface tillage cannot result in a change in classification.

Canada's first independent taxonomic system of soil classification was introduced in 1955. Prior to 1955, systems of classification used in Canada were strongly based on methods being applied in the United States. However, the U.S. system was based on environmental conditions common to the United States. Canadian soil scientists required a new method of soil classification that focused on pedogenic processes in cool climatic environments.

Like the US system, the Canadian System of Soil Classification differentiates soil types on the basis of measured properties of the profile and uses a hierarchical scheme to classify soils from general to specific. The most recent version of the classification system has five categories in its hierarchical structure. From general to specific, the major categories in this system are: orders, great groups, subgroups, families, and series. At its most general level, the Canadian System recognizes ten different soil orders: