Dear BeSpatial Ontario Members and Sponsors,

As we approach the end of another remarkable year, we take this opportunity to reflect on our collective achievements and extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of you. Your dedication and passion for the geospatial community continues to be the cornerstone of our success.

Reflecting on 2024: This year has been filled with significant milestones and collaborative efforts that have propelled our organization forward. From our highly successful annual conference, which saw record attendance and engagement, to the numerous workshops and webinars that provided invaluable learning opportunities, we have continued to foster a vibrant and innovative geospatial community. In 2024: our Meta post reach increased by 156%, our content interactions increased by 2,500%, and our LinkedIn account have over 71,000 organic impressions. We also began a BeTransformed journey - an opportunity for our association to bring more value to our members, sponsors, and to all who work with data and are a part of the geospatial community, regardless of job title.

Our members are at the forefront of groundbreaking projects, and are leveraging geospatial technologies to address real-world challenges and drive positive change. The spirit of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within our community is truly inspiring.

For myself, as well as the BeSpatial Management Team, 2024 represented the fulfillment of our commitment to return to in-person events. We successfully hosted six in-person events throughout the year in various locations, including Seneca College, Thunder Bay, Kingston, Sudbury (twice!), and Cambridge. The positive turnout and support from attendees, speakers, panelists, and sponsors were truly heartening.

We also saw changes in our Board throughout the year. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Susan Muleme-Kasumba, Jeff Norris, Melanie Wawryk, Jenn Gross, Jax Vollmer, and Jackie Smith for their service and support. We are thrilled to welcome new team members Clifford Rutledge, Kelly Seguin, Paul Giroux, Jeff Lamb, Alexandra Turner, and Lisa Pienta, along with over 30 new volunteers who have joined us on our transformative journey. Please consider filling out our volunteer form!

Looking Ahead: As we look to the future, we remain committed to supporting our members through continued professional development, networking opportunities, and collaboration with those associated with the geospatial profession. We are excited about the initiatives planned for the coming year and look forward to your active participation and contribution.

In 2025, we will continue to build a self-supporting community that helps each other solve business problems, provides relevant data and technology content with in-person training and vertical-themed events, and we will proactively demonstrate to employers and community leaders that geospatial is a critical component in decision-making and business success. Please keep an eye on our website https://www.bespatialontario.ca/Events, and in these newsletters for more details. Additional in person event opportunities will be released frequently!

Our AGM will be held on April 29th, 2025, at the Holiday Inn in Burlington, with the theme "BeInspired." This theme emphasizes the importance of inspiration in achieving success and empowering transformational growth within our community. Registration is now open, and we look forward to seeing many of you in person!

We are also pleased to announce the renewal of our partnership with Pathfinder Exploration Community, sponsoring another year of engaging Pathfinder’s podcasts. This collaboration brings our members 10 episodes packed with expert insights, fostering professional development and innovation in the geospatial sector.

Thank you: I would like to take the opportunity to thank our amazing community of members, volunteers, and sponsors for your continued support. I would also take a moment to offer my humble appreciation to everyone on the Management Team and associated committees that donate their time and work tirelessly to keep you informed, enlightened, and coming back for more. 

Holiday Wishes: During this festive season, we wish you and your loved ones joy, peace, and prosperity. May your holidays be filled with warmth and happiness, and may the new year bring you continued success and fulfillment.

Thank you for being an integral part of BeSpatial Ontario.  We are excited to achieve even more together in 2025.

Warmest regards,

Wendy Baldin
President, Director

We are thrilled to announce an update to BeSpatial’s membership structure and fees, effective for the 2025 membership term. This is our first adjustment in over five years, reflecting the enhancements we’ve made to benefit our members:

• Increased webinars and virtual offerings
• Added a Young Professionals Network initiative with a mentorship program
• Increased the number of awards and recognition offered to members
• Boosted e-blast content to include partner organization news, events, networking and Pathfinders podcast episodes
• Expanded our presence in Northern Ontario with events in Sudbury and Thunder Bay
• Commitment to hosting in-person events in Ontario in 2025 and supporting industries that utilize geospatial data for strategic decision-making.

These changes support our mission to empower members with enhanced location-based insights and geospatial decision-making, fostering a geo-enabled community that drives innovation.

For information on our membership types see our membership benefits page

Please contact Members Services for any questions

Have a Question?

We need your help to update our Questions and Answers library in our FAQ section!

Do you have a question that is not currently covered in our FAQ section, please contact web  and we'll do our best to make it available on our FAQ webpage.

MApps (Maps and Applications) People's Choice Award & Gallery

It's not too early to start thinking and planning to exhibit in the Gallery! 

You've worked hard to create a map or application for your organization and now is your chance to show it off to other GIS professionals and colleagues from around the province at the annual BeSpatial program event! 

Show off your best traditional Map design or create a layout to display your latest Web Application. Open for submissions until early March 15 2025.

Plan now for your submission of a mapping, poster or App for this annual award!

Pathfinder's in Partnership with BeSpatial Ontario presents: Exciting News for Our Members! BeSpatial Ontario has teamed up with Pathfinder Exploration Community to sponsor a year's worth of engaging podcasts. This collaboration will bring 24 insightful Pathfinder episodes to our community, aligning with our shared mission of fostering networking and professional growth in the geospatial sector.  Why This Matters: Shared Goals: BeSpatial Ontario and Pathfinders are committed to enhancing professional development within the geospatial community. Valuable content: Episodes will focus on sharing expertise, driving innovation, and supporting evidence-based decisions in geospatial information. Community Impact: The partnership will enrich our community's  knowledge and skills, offering fresh perspectives and expert insights. Your Call to Action: Valuable Content: Episodes will focus on sharing expertise, driving innovation, and supporting evidence-based decisions in geospatial informatioCommunity Impact: The partnership will enrich our community's knowledge and skills, offering fresh perspectives and exDon't miss out on this unique opportunity to expand your professional horizons. Visit Pathfinders.social  pathfinders.social to access these enriching podcasts and join us in this exciting new journey of learning and growth! Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to expand your professional horizons. Visit pathfinders.social to access these enriching podcasts and join us in this exciting new journey of learning and growth!

It's Time to think about submitting your entry for the BeSpatial 2025 Best Challenge Awards.

For details, visit the BCA Awards section

The Geospatial and Information Community wants to recognize you for your hard work, creativity and dedication by giving you an opportunity to apply for one of our BCAs - Best Challenge Awards.

Visit the Awards Page for past results announced at BeSpatial

BeSpatial Award Winners

BeSpatial Annual Event and EXPO (in Planning Stage)

Invitation to Sponsors and Exhibitors

BeSpatial Ontario is inviting you to join us at its 38th AGM (Annual General Meeting), program event, executive session and EXPO.  By sponsoring or exhibiting at our annual event, you will be offered a number of benefits as per the details below.

Theme: BeTBD 

Place:  Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites, Burlington

3063 South Service Road, Burlington, ON L7N 3E9

Date: April 29,  2025

BeSpatial'25 will be  offering morning program presentations with special afternoon sessions, i.e., (workshop, Industry partner sessions, panel, seminar, etc.)

In addition to program sessions (per sponsor level), Sponsors have an opportunity to participate in the Industry Partners (IP) speaking program on a first come, first serve basis. 

Location: On Site Conference

Details on how to Sponsor or Exhibit!

Take advantage of this opportunity to participate as a BeSpatial Annual Event and EXPO  Sponsors and Exhibitors! Contact Sandra at BeSpatial:  INFO for more details.

BePrepared was held on May 1st & 2nd 2024 

Technological developments in recent years are nothing short of remarkable. Geospatial disciplines are evolving along with many of the technological changes that present growth opportunities for individuals and businesses. Some of the developments, such as Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twins represent a quantum leap forward in the way we access, interact and use information.

To stay relevant in the field, geospatial and information professionals should “BePrepared”.

They should be aware of how these technological developments and trends can be applied to their work, continually learn new skills and adapt to the ever-changing work environment.

Geospatial plays a crucial role in many industries and is also impacted by technological breakthroughs that are affecting designing and creating business solutions. Some of the skills the geospatial industry requires are:

• Creative systems thinking
• Analytical skills
• Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
• Understanding of ethical and privacy concerns
• Service orientation and customer service
• Remote Work and Collaboration

The 2024 Annual General Meeting virtual conference BePrepared (May 1st and 2nd, 2024) will provide an opportunity for geospatial and information professionals to showcase their achievements, and best practices and discuss challenges in preparing for and adapting to the predicted and unpredicted changes in future.

Teranet is Canada's leader in the delivery and transformation of statutory registry services with extensive expertise in land and commercial registries. It also provides insightful property intelligence and data solutions to thousands of customers in the real estate, financial services, government, utilities, and legal markets.

As a trusted provider of Master Data Management (MDM) solutions and services to government, utilities, and commercial enterprises, Teranet enables customers to improve their decision-making processes by providing reliable property information, location intelligence capabilities, and a world-class customer experience. Teranet clients can access the most authoritative and dependable source of parcel mapping, ownership and easement data, and registered plan images. Our systems provide on-demand and direct access to reputable, adaptable, and trustworthy land registry and land related data via a user-friendly customer interface. Our core purpose is to be the most authoritative and reliable provider of spatial mapping services and land registry data to our customers.