FOCUS ON:
Renewed GeoConnections
The 2010 Federal Budget announced renewed funding for the GeoConnections program. The Budget provides $11 million in funding over the next two years to continue development of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and to provide consolidated geographic-related information to Canadians via the Internet.
Resources & Tools
Canadian GeoProject Centre to help put Canada on world map
The Geomatics Industry Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Marine Communications have announced the launch of a new not-for-profit corporation to promote Canada's geomatics expertise and capabilities internationally. Known as the Canadian GeoProject Centre (CGC), this organization will partner with Canadian industry, government and academia to seek and secure large multidisciplinary geomatics projects worldwide.
The CGC will capitalize on the breadth and depth of geomatics expertise in Canada to tailor solutions for clients. These solutions will involve Canadian geomatics companies working with partners from academia, government, foreign countries and the local areas in which projects are proposed.
CGC's operational costs will be recovered from successful projects. Start-up financing comes from two sources: industry and Natural Resources Canada, through the GeoConnections initiative. Negotiations are underway with several other potential public-sector financing partners as well.
Developing international geomatics opportunities
How will Canada's geomatics industry benefit? The CGC will open international business-development doors that individual companies would have difficulty opening alone. In this regard, the CGC complements, not replaces, the international marketing efforts of Canadian geomatics firms.
A one-stop Canadian solution, CGC will focus on opportunities in early stages of development. Using available Canadian export development programs, such as the Canadian International Development Agency Industrial Cooperation Program (CIDA-INC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Program for Export Market Development (PEMD), CGC will involve Canadian consultants in defining projects.
Once projects are well defined and financed, the CGC will form teams to undertake the projects. Preference will go to members of the Geomatics Industry Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Marine Communications, but CGC is foremost concerned with ensuring that proposed solutions meet client requirements. By pooling Canada's expertise and hand picking the organizations whose capabilities best match client needs, the CGC will improve Canada's ability to compete for large-scale international projects.
Capitalizing on Canadian assets and experience
Foreign clients, on the other hand, will benefit from access to resources, expertise and sources of financing through a one-stop Canadian solution.
For instance, the CGC is discussing an opportunity with the Indian Department of Science and Technology to assist in developing India's national geospatial data infrastructure. Canada has amassed vast knowledge and expertise building the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure under GeoConnections, and this knowledge and experience is highly sought by countries with fledgling geomatics programs. These countries are interested in learning from Canada's experience.
By tailoring solutions to these types of complex international projects, the CGC will help make Canada a world-leading exporter of geospatial information products, services and expertise.