GIS in the NewsTTC Collaboration App Combines SharePoint and ESRI TechnologyBy Mary Allen, IT in Canada, December 22, 2009 In 2006, the TTC began the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, a $2.6 billion infrastructure project scheduled for completion in 2015, which will entail construction of the first rapid transit line to cross from Toronto into the York Region. To ensure effective collaboration among the dispersed groups working on the project, the TTC determined that a new document management system integrated with the TTC's ESRI GIS was needed to enhance productivity and provide ready and secure access to data to the project's stakeholders. New Brunswick puts more on the map Service New Brunswick has launched the GeoNB Map Viewer, a new online source of geographic information for the province using GIS technology from ESRI Canada. New Brunswick launches online map service New Brunswick's services division has been working to roll out new spatial data infrastructure in an effort to more easily deliver geographic data to its citizens and staff. The province teamed up with ESRI Canada to launch GeoNB Map Viewer, a free Web-based application for viewing maps and aerial photos of New Brunswick. ESRI Canada academic scholarship awardees announced ESRI Canada named the Canadian institutions selected to receive awards through the ESRI Canada Scholarship Award Program. The program recognizes universities and colleges with an exceptional GIS focus and is designed to promote innovation among Canada's future leaders. The program awards more than $2 million in scholarships and grants of software and books to more than 40 Canadian colleges and universities every year. Green Appeal - Integrating Sustainability into IT Marketing ESRI Canada President Alex Miller shares his insights on how the company's products and corporate initiatives connect with its position as an environmentally-responsible GIS solution provider. Department of Natural Resources receives prestigious award The Mineral Resources Branch of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources received the ESRI Canada Award of Excellence for being a model of success in using GIS to promote efficient use of mineral and natural resource data. SQ honoured for web mapping Sûreté du Quebec, the only police organization with jurisdiction over all of the province, has won an Award of Excellence from ESRI Canada for developing web mapping services to support police and public-safety operations. County recognized for use of GIS software Oxford County in Ontario received the ESRI Canada Award of Excellence for its 24-year use of GIS software within the county and its recent "Project Matrix," which will help automate manual processes and fully integrate with financial systems to provide the county with an asset management solution. Prefab, Portable Green Roof Installed In Toronto ESRI Canada Vice President and General Manager John Kitchen shares his insights on ESRI Canada's green roof project with TreeHugger, a leading international news site on sustainability. The article covers the challenges and numerous benefits derived from the green roof. La Sûreté du Québec reçoit le prix d'excellence de ESRI Canada pour l'amélioration de la sécurité publique au moyen des technologies SIG (article available in French only) Sûreté du Québec received ESRI Canada's Award of Excellence for its GIS application Géosûreté, which has improved Web mapping services used by more than 7,180 police officers and civil servants in the Province of Quebec. Green Roof Principles Buildings create a carbon footprint that is far greater than that generated by ICT, but green IT combined with green roofs can make a substantial difference. ESRI Canada has shown early leadership in greening of the urban environment through construction of a 704 square meter roof top garden at its corporate headquarters in Toronto. Learn about the costs, benefits and design considerations involved in green roof top construction through conversations with Landscape Architect Scott Torrance and ESRI Canada President Alex Miller, who summed up the project as "Simply the right thing to do." Kitchener updates work order system The city of Kitchener, Ont., has successfully launched its integrated financial and infrastructure management systems, which involves a combination of enterprise resource planning, infrastructure and inventory management software, including ESRI Canada's solution, to help improve work order processes. Software can keep green roof over Torontonians' heads As Toronto marches on to cover its rooftops in fresh greenery, geographic information system provider ESRI offers an application for quickly locating potential green roof area candidates. ESRI Canada distributes ESRI ArcGIS 9.3.1, a suite of desktop, server and Web-enabled applications that enable users to overlay GIS-based maps with customizable operational data to suit various business needs. ESRI Unveils Green Roof ESRI's garden grew out of environmental sensitivity developed through 25 years of experience working with forestry and environmental clients in Canada and beyond, and through broad research into energy management. ESRI learned that in addition to energy efficiencies that can be achieved through smart grid and related technologies, significant energy savings can be realized by "greening" our cities - and that the urban heat island effect can be reduced through the construction of green roof tops. Green Roof Bylaw leads to channel opportunity ESRI Canada has taken a voluntary stance in support of this bylaw unveiling a new 704-square metre green roof atop of its head office building in Toronto. Alex Miller, President of ESRI Canada, highlights the company's increased commitment to the environment and cites the opportunities for customers and partners to leverage GIS to create efficiencies by implementing green roofs and other environmental practices. Jack Dangermond's Digital Mapping Lays It All Out Jack Dangermond, President and Founder of ESRI, provides his insights on ESRI's milestones and how GIS continues to help shape a better understanding of the world as the company celebrates its 40th year in business. GIS tools help Kitchener civic crews work faster, better A geographic information system developed by City of Kitchener staff and ESRI Canada is helping the city's workers dramatically reduce service delivery time and expenses by making data from multiple city departments available at a click of a mouse. Case Study: York Region - A new technology initiative is improving operational efficiency The water and wastewater branch of York Region lacked a central repository to store data, which limited its ability to effectively maintain and rehabilitate its assets. The branch developed Optimize Works, an initiative aimed at improving operational efficiency through better organization and the use of technology. Alex Miller on the present and future of the Geoweb Alex Miller of ESRI Canada opened the GeoWeb 2009 conference, held all week at the Simon J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in downtown Vancouver, with a holistic summary of what the fields of geodesign and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are progressing and how they work together to produce the "Geoweb." Video: Alex Miller's Keynote Address at the 2009 GeoWeb Conference ESRI Canada President Alex Miller delivers an insightful presentation at the 2009 GeoWeb Conference in Vancouver, B.C. on the key factors driving the geoweb and how GIS technology continues to help enhance understanding of geographic information and our world. Jack Dangermond on the Future of Mapping Technologies Location-based services reach maturity Thirty years ago, Alex Miller could see the beginnings of GIS. Back then, it was a means to collect information. Today, the president and CEO of ESRI Canada Ltd., a Toronto-based software company providing GIS software platforms for various industries, is in the thick of it. Municipal City gets award for smart GIS The City of Kitchener had recently launched "Project Delta"-a new financial, work order management and asset accounting system that utilizes hundreds of GIS and corporate database interfaces across its enterprise system. The project has enabled the city's operations, utilities, engineering and finance departments to make operational and strategic decisions based on information that is synchronized across all corporate systems, improving service to businesses and residents in Kitchener. Video: Interview with Alex Miller, ESRI Canada at the 2009 ESRI User Conference Rolta, ESRI announce partnership in Canada A strategic partnership and OEM agreement for North America was announced by Rolta Canada and ESRI Canada. The agreement will combine Rolta's OnPoint Enterprise web-GIS solution with the strength of ESRI's ArcGIS Server technology. ESRI's Jack Dangermond: GIS Brings Better Government Transparency In this Q&A, Jack Dangermond, President and Founder of ESRI, explains the role GIS will play in stimulus spending and tracking, infrastructure, smart roads, energy and cloud computing. GIS-Just the Ticket for Parking Enforcement Analysis The Canadian television network CTV wanted to learn where drivers were most at risk for getting parking tickets in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. CTV teamed with ESRI Canada Limited, which used GIS to analyze data collected from 16,000 parking citations issued over a two-week period. The television station reported the findings in the series "Know Parking Here." Mapping the North In many municipalities, especially remote and sparsely populated ones, land and asset records are likely to be organized under separate systems that are hard to compile or compare. New information-handling technology can solve this problem, and now a few small Northern Ontario municipalities are collaborating to create central and efficient geographic information systems (GIS). Looking to the future When Teck Cominco looked into making changes to its exploration technology, it came to realise the impact technology had on its business. Technology had changed every aspect of how it collected, analysed and shared exploration data. Everything from data collection and notations was dictated by how it anticipated using that data in its geographic information system. |