As the situation surrounding coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continues to evolve geospatial data and technology is being widely used to support a wide spectrum of government and other organizations with mapping, location intelligence and business insights. This helps to monitor, manage and communicate the impact of the outbreak.

Below is a link to the Geospatial Knowledge Platform showcasing examples of Covid-19 related information dashboards.

https://www.geospatialworld.net/covid-19-dashboard/

For information specifically related to the outbreak in the Province of Ontario please refer to the link:

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/index.html

Kessey-Dewitt Publications, in Association with URISA, has recently released the second Edition of the GIS Management Handbook—a major revision of the 2009 edition. Below is a brief description and the attached flyer provides additional information. Contact: URISA to order this book

Description of Book:

Published by Kessey Dewitt Publications in association with URISA, 460 pp., 2019

ISBN13: 978-0-9824093-1-2

This book is a comprehensive guide and reference to the field of GIS management. It provides practical information on the development, implementation, and operation of GIS programs and projects—for a full range of public sector, not-for-profit, and private sector organizations and companies. This book takes a practical approach providing clear descriptions of concepts, issues, and practices that may be used in operational to improve and maximize the efficiency of GIS programs and projects.

Learn what I Learned!   A BeSpatial - Eastern Ontario Regional Event 

When: TBD

Where: Queen's University, David Gordon Conference Centre, Kingston, ON

 421 Union St W, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6

It is a great opportunity to connect to GIS professionals in Eastern Ontario and learn how people are using GIS at their organizations.

Register

Preliminary Agenda Presentation Topics Announced

• Registration, Continental Breakfast, Networking and Opening Remarks
• "Next Generation 911" Alex Brossault, Program Manager, GIS and Info, City of Guelph with Barry Costello, Esri
• "GIS in Infrastructure Project Lifecycle" Phil Healey, Manager, Enterprise GIS, City of Kingston
• "Creating a Culture of Change: Open Government and the Ontario GeoHub”  Mike Dunkley, Land Information Ontario
• Buffet Lunch and Networking
• Keynote: "Thoughts On Adding Geo-Records To The Pilot Study On Best Practices For Citizen Access To Public Records.",  Dr. Barry Wellar. C.M., GISP, Past President, URISA.org (1978), Professor Emeritus, University Of Ottawa, President, Information Research Board. 
• • Discussion: Are GEO-Records the key to better citizen access to public records? Based on what they represent , there are reasons to say YES.  Learn more. Review the attached presentation and plan to come to Kingston on March 26 to discuss further!

• Closing Remarks

LEARN WHAT I LEARNED - A BeSPATIAL EASTERN ONTARIO REGIONAL EVENT

Interested in showcasing your GIS program?

If your educational institution provides a unique and meaningful experience that will help the growth of future GIS professionals, please send us a profile of your program.

Coming soon! We are planning to introduce a dedicated Education web space that will showcase geospatial and information programs, provide information and updates on our student mentor program and feature opportunities for students to volunteer. 

Please email your submissions to our President, Susan to be featured on our website and eNewsletter.

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The Data Driven Intelligence Working Group & the Public Sector Service Delivery Council is excited to share the Analytics Playbook. 

The Analytics Playbook will be an effective tool for sector organizations to get started on their analytics journey as well as advance up the maturity curve to implement more advanced tools and methodologies.

"We have already heard the document has had an impact in helping jurisdictions advocate internally for leadership buy-in and resources to build analytics capacity. Our plan is to keep this document evergreen and incorporate leading practices and cases as the sector and environment evolves. We look forward to keeping you up to date in the future. We ask you to provide us with relevant use cases you feel would be pertinent."

Click here for more information.     

BeSpatial issued a poll on August 14 seeking your input on program topic areas

We've heard back and the results are below;

BeSpatial / urisa ontario will be reviewing these topics of interest at our upcoming strategic planning session. Your feedback on this poll is much appreciated!

Below are geospatial and Information focused topics identified from our BeSpatial'19 post-event survey:

• Archiving information and digitizing things for future generations. Fun themes like ways of convincing higher ups to buy into a new GIS system or feature.
• ArcGIS Online and ArcPro demos, other municipalities with their mapping process.
• AR, leveraging open source software/ GitHub, municipal uses for lidar.
• Banking industry.
• BIM/CIM sessions or workshop.
• Broad swath of speakers that will be working with GIS data (multi-agency dispatchers & responders - OPP, municipal police/fire/paramedics; Bell 9-1-1; CRTC TIF committee; NENA; Esri Canada; dispatch software providers).
• Commercial business as a theme.
• Data and application of GIS with data.
• Education industry.
• Employee Focused Forum.
• Environmental topics, include sessions on emerging industries that will affect and/or collaborate with GIS, such as AI.
• Field Data Collection, Internet Mapping, Methodology/SOP.
• GIS Management sessions or balancing the advanced technology with departmental stability.
• Lessons Learned - more content about mistakes we have made in the past / what are our concerns with the directions we are headed into the future / more information on how to educate public better / more information on how to get council and government on board with implementing new ideas.
• Lidar and drones acquisition.
• Lightning presentations... an hr session with ~5-10 minute presentations showcasing successful GIS projects.
• Open Government Open Data AI/Machine Learning in the spatial world.
• Privacy and data, Future of GIS, Transit / transportation planning, new or soon to release data science tools time saving methods community engagement / partnerships.
• Smart Cities - How/who should be involved in smart cities
• Unconventional/expanded uses of GIS software beyond mapping.
• Utility focused presentations would add interest.
• What’s trending? - impacts on business decisions Artificial Intelligence and Internet of things, for example and from a Geospatial perspective. Also, intelligence driven by information through analytics / Geospatial solutions.
• Webinar or 1/2 Full day session opportunities - Sessions were very high-level due to their short time. Would like to see some longer sessions with more detail offered.

If you have an presentation that would appeal to our geospatial and information community, please complete the presentation submission form or contact John to discuss. Program content is to be public sector and/or industry recognized and non-corporate aligned.

If you are a private sector partner, please consider inviting a public sector client to co-present with you. Sponsored opportunities for the private sector are available.  

Dear fellow BeSpatial / urisa ontario members,

I am so excited to be your new President. I had to think back, but the last time I was President, it was of Maids Hall, Women’s residence at the University of Guelph a long, long time ago! I have been working the GeoSpatial field since Graduating from Sir Sandford Fleming in 1998. I have worked in GIS software with Avenza, cartographic map production at Western University, photogrammetric map production at Triathlon, and for the last 10 years, LiDAR business development with Airborne Imaging.  

My membership with BeSpatial Ontario, has always been a complement to my “day” job, especially through attending the AGM and various seminars over the years. I have been a member on and off for several years, however became Eastern Section Director in 2017. It has always been a way for me to stay connected with new technology and people in the industry. The key benefits of participating in an Ontario-focused geospatial and information community are to network with folks who have common challenges and share creative and new solutions to those challenges.

BeSpatial Ontario services include networking and knowledge sharing opportunities with colleagues and industry partners. Membership privileges include discount on events, complimentary webinars, regional events, and an annual program event and workshop with over 250 participants, BeSpatial Ontario works closely with partner associations such as AOLS, GoGeomatics, Go Open Data, MISA to provide added value program offerings.

During my two year term I would like to focus on 2 things:

1. I am passionate about helping new graduates be successful in their careers. Over the next two years I plan to help raise our profile with students, increase our student membership by at least 70 more. I would like students to have the opportunity to network within the community and make lasting relationship that will help them in their careers.
2. I am also interested in raising the profiles of our private sector  and consultant members. We need to hear about what you are doing in the GeoSpatial and information industry. I would like to see more webinars and seminars from these members, partnered with their clients, sharing their real time business solutions to others who would find value in the products and services available.

I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you at one of our events.

Sincerely, 

Susan Muleme Kasumba

 

Back L to R:  Andrew Lyszkiewicz, Strategy & Outreach, Scott Barbacki, Communications, Mirjana Strajin, Programs, Melanie Wawryk, Western Section, Al Little, Immediate Past President, Kyle Murdoch, Northern Section  & Hanna Sjostrom, Member Services, 

Front L to R: Catherine Fitzgerald, President, Khas Selvarajah, Communications, Irene Rubinstein, Education, Dianne Adams, Finance, Susan Muleme Kasumba, Eastern Section, Sandra Crutcher, Executive Director & Jasna Filipovic, BeSpatial.

Missing: Brock Kingston, Northern Section, Jeremy Luymes, Web

The sun literally shone on this conference - it was the first day of true springtime weather in the Greater Toronto Area. The Communications, Culture and Technology building of the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus, was an ideal venue for the day with its massive windows that let in lots of light and its easily accessible outdoor spaces. Appropriately for a meeting of spatial specialists, the interior layout of the building could be a fun challenge to one’s wayfinding skills.

President Catherine Fitzgerald led a brisk Annual General Meeting with an overview of URISA and its achievements during the past year, and a look ahead to its goals. President Fitzgerald also announced that URISA will be re-branded to BeSpatial with the launch of a new communications campaign. All committees will offer opportunities for members to participate in this new direction.

The conference had four themes:

• Data Driven Decision Making and Data Management
• GIS Strategy and Projects
• Open Data and Imagery
• Solutions Development

View Presentations 

There were 23 sessions in all and with each lasting 30 minutes, it was possible to attend a good mix of sessions according to one’s interests, with a lot of networking in between sessions.  Another option was to check out the exhibitions by Esri Canada, Teranet, Consortech, The Association of Land Surveyors, Cansel and First Base Solutions.

BeSpatial ‘18 wrapped up with awards and door prizes and transitioned to BeSocial ’18 at the UTM campus pub.

Be sure to complete the BeSpatial ’18 evaluation survey!  Your feedback will help us improve future events and can assist us in providing more value to the membership.

BeSpatial Evaluation Survey

Photos of BeSpatial ’18 can be downloaded from:

BeSpatial Photos

Mark your calendar for BeSpatial ’19 in May 2019!

Keynote Speaker

Tracey P. Lauriault of Carleton University presented the keynote “Towards an Open Smart City”.  A concept related to the Internet of Things, Smart Cities have large numbers of electronic data collection sensors throughout an urban area in order to better manage assets and resources.

This engaging talk covered the many complex issues emerging from the development of Smart Cities, particularly transparency, privacy and data residency.  Currently, city governments do not control their city’s smart grids.  Most of the technologies are developed and owned by private foreign corporations, who collect different data and have different data structures.  While Smart Cities present vast opportunities for better understanding and managing urban processes – everything from traffic flows to crime and safety – care must be taken to ensure that the data collected is stored and shared in appropriate ways.  Who governs the Smart City? is a question that has yet to be answered.

Professor Lauriault pointed out that all technology exists in a social, political and economic context, but is not necessarily suited to addressing social, political or economic problems.  Additionally there are concerns about public resources being diverted from social programs towards investments in Smart City technology.  Public-Private Partnerships may be an option for financing smart grids.

Calling for greater participation among geospatial professionals towards the development of Smart Cities, Professor Lauriault said they are by training ideal partners for the project.  Data management and spatial analysis are our mainstays, and so we will have insights into the best ways to leverage the new streams of data from smart grids.