I believe Canada Hydrographic Service has "licensed"
a private corporation to distribute chart information in a variety of
formats. The govt. is supposed to receive royalties from the sales of
paper or electronic chart data. So it is technically true that CANGOV
doesn't produce paper charts anymore.

Last I head, the private corporation had filed for bankruptcy, and the
government wasn't getting paid.

As for getting a decent printout from a CD, that is going to be
absolutely possible- depending on the format and resolution of the
information on the CD. Most printing today is CTP (computer to press).
The biggest hassle for most of us will be the 8.5 x 11" format of the
typical home or small office printer, It will take a lot taping and
fitting to create a paper chart covering any real area in some of the
smaller scales.

Somebody recently told me that he had been on the bridge of a container
ship and was shown the vessel's chart printing system. Rather than
carry a large inventory of paper charts, the container ship has
computer software than can generate charts for anywhere the ship is
headed. While maybe a couple of hundred miles west of SOJDF, the
navigator will run a program to print charts for the straits and for
the shipping routes into Vancouver or Seattle. As chart corrections are
required, the information can be downloaded to the program. The system
apparently meets any requirements that the ship carry printed charts,
without the hassle of maintaining a large chart locker.

As far as LInux, Windoze, etc.....can't help you there. :-)

There is a pretty decent website for Canada Hydrographic, but I don't
remember the exact address.
That may have more info for you.