The summary ground temperature database for northern Canada includes publicly available information from published and unpublished sources for 656 sites, 526 of which are in the permafrost region. The majority of the sites are currently abandoned, with only about 17% active. Measurements at the inactive sites were generally recorded between 1960 and the mid 1980s. Although ground temperatures were measured over a number of years at many sites, the database compilation contains mainly summary information. Information on site characteristics such as air temperature, snow cover and vegetation which influence the ground temperature regime has also been compiled. The database has been published as a Geological Survey of Canada Open File Report which also contains a series of maps and graphs illustrating site distribution, near-surface ground temperatures, and other attributes of the database.