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Success worth celebrating, year after year. Every award tells a story of dedication, innovation, and excellence. Explore the outstanding accomplishments of our past award winners and celebrate the people who continue to inspire us. |
Best Challenge AwardsThe Best Challenge Awards (BCA) celebrate the innovation, impact, and excellence demonstrated by our geospatial and information community. Each year, we recognize outstanding individuals and organizations whose work is advancing GIS and shaping better decisions, services, and solutions across industries. |
Best Public Sector GIS 2026 Gold Award: City of Kitchener 2023 Gold Award: City of Greater Sudbury 2022 Gold Award: City of Hamilton 2021 Gold Award: City of Guelph 2020 Gold Award: Town of East Gwillimbury 2019 Gold Award: York Region: YorkInfo Partnership 2018 Gold Award: Town of East Gwillimbury: Use of GIS technology to help visualize, monitor and report on new development. 2017 Gold Award: County of Simcoe 2016 Gold Award: City of Guelph 2015 Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre 2014 Gold Award: County of Frontenac 2013 Gold Award (Tie): Cities of Hamilton and Peterborough 2012 Gold Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre 2011 Gold Award: Ontario Realty Corporate for Ontario GeoPortal 2010 Gold Award: Municipality of Leamington | Best Innovation in GIS 2026 Gold Award: City of Ottawa 2025 Gold Award: District of Muskoka 2024 Gold Award: The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) / University of Toronto 2023 Gold Award: Infrastructure Ontario 2022 Gold Award: Region of Peel 2021 Gold Award: City of Richmond Hill: Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) tool 2020 Gold Award: City of Kitchener 2018 Gold Award: City of Sault Ste. Marie: Automation of notification to customers for planned and unplanned water and electric events 2017 Gold Award: Town of Oakville: Integration of GIS and JDE Asset Registry 2016 Gold Award: Ryerson University 2015 Award: Town of Oakville 2014 Gold Award: City of Kitchener 2013 Gold Award: Region of York 2012 Gold Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre 2011 Gold Award: County of Peterborough for Trip-Click.com 2010 Gold Award: Ministry of Economic Development and Trade | Best Small Organization GIS Award 2026 Gold Award: Town of Stouffville 2025 Gold Award: County of Frontenac 2024 Gold Award: The West Parry Sound Geography Network | Best Open Source GIS Award 2026 Gold Award: County of Frontenac 2024 Gold Award: Niagara Open Data Community Consortium |
BeSpatial Service AwardsBeSpatial recognizes outstanding individuals who go above and beyond in service to the GIS profession. The BeSpatial Service Award recipients have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, mentorship, and commitment to advancing the geospatial field. |
Ontario GIS Hall of Fame 2026 - Matt Pietryszyn | GIS Leadership 2026 - Melanie Wawryk | John Bacon Exemplary Service 2025 - Lena Gomes | GeoDynamo 2026 - Wendy Baldin |
Additional Award Categories |
People's Choice MApps Award - Best App
This People's Choice MApps Award recognizes outstanding geospatial applications developed by BeSpatial members. 2026 - Peel Region - Older Adults Story Map 2025 - City of Peterborough - MapHub 2024 - City of Mississauga - Mississauga's 50th Anniversary 2023 - Town of Orangeville - Street Tree Reporter 2022 - City of Mississauga - eParks Interactive Map Viewer Application 2021 - District of Muskoka - Floodline and LiDAR Mapping 2019 - City of Kitchener - Kitchener's Speed Zone Analysis 2018 - Town of Newmarket - Locate My Plow 2017 - City of Kitchener -Kitchener's Citizen Science Project 2016 - Town of Newmarket-Playground & Park Improvement 2015 - Devin Tu - MapYourProperty 2014 - City of Windsor - Cultural Mapping Project 2013 - City of Vaughan - Vaughan Viewer 2012 - City of Kitchener - Urban Tree Life |
People's Choice MApps Award - Best Map
This People's Choice MApps Award recognizes outstanding maps developed by BeSpatial members. 2025 - Michael Gage - The City of Ottawa Heat Map Analysis: Personal Preference Index for Preferrable Neighbourhoods for Families with Young Children 2024 - Andie Herstek - Fleming College - Rooted in History: Calgary's Heritage Trees 2023 - Municipality of Clarington - Distribution and Abundance of the Caribou in the Yukon 2022 - Shahzaib Saleem - City of Rotterdam Thematic map 2021 - Nebyu Woldeyohanes - Debris Flows in the Bow River Valley, between Banff and Lake Louise, using DEMs 2019 - Town of Newmarket - Central York Fire Services 2018 - City of Kitchener - Growth Management Plan 2017 - Toronto Fire Services - Residential Building Construction Dates 2016 - Ryerson University - 3D Printed Geographies 2015 - Region of Halton - Boardroom Map 2014 - County of Hastings – Limerick Township Historic Map 2013 - North Hamilton - Child Blood Lead Study 2012 - Town of Newmarket - Trails Map | Nathan Adams Student Bursary The Nathan Adams Student Bursary is an annual award that recognizes the contributions of students studying at Ontario post-secondary institutions. 2026 - Nilanika Goonetilleke, Lakehead University 2025 - Aryan Srivastava, Fanshawe College 2024 - Helen Plesko, Fleming College 2023 - Hannah Flores, University of Toronto 2022 - Melissa Jade Greco, University of Waterloo 2021 - Xuyang Han, York University 2019 - Devon Kleinjan, Guelph University 2018 - Nebyu Woldeyohanes, Nipissing University 2017 - Kyle Wittmaier, Nipissing University 2016 - Sean Nash, Ryerson University 2015 - Moeen Butt, Western University 2014 - Nafisa Kassam, Fanshawe College 2013 - Matthew Adams, McMaster University 2012 - Sandra Murillo, Fanshawe College 2011 - Sarah Thompson, University of Waterloo | Young Professional of the Year The Young Professional of the Year award celebrates the incredible impact of young GIS professionals whose passion and talent are driving the industry forward, building resilient communities, and inspiring future geospatial leaders. 2026 - Jess Hobbins, Peterborough County 2025 - Victoria Tousaw, LEA Group |
Data Architecture and Coding Competition The Canopy Mapping Co. / BeSpatial Ontario Data Architecture and Coding Competition celebrates creativity, technical excellence, and problem-solving within the geospatial community. 2026 - Nasim Shahvari, City of Kitchener 2025 - Evan Shepa, Town of Ajax | BeSpatial / URISA Ontario Service Awards 2019 - Dianne Adams (2017-19) 2019 - Jasna Filipovic (2012-19) 2019 - Jeremy Luymes (2015-19) 2019 - Scott Barbacki (2017-19) 2015 - Lena Gomes (2008-15) 2013 - Susan Port: (2006-2013) 2013 - Chris Wilkinson: (2006-2013) 2012 - Dianne Adams: (2008-2012) 2012 - Melanie Wawryk (2008-2012) 2001 - Antoni Wisnioski 2001 - Patrick McDade | URISA International Chapter Award Each year, URISA recognizes an outstanding Chapter that has sponsored particularly effective activities or has otherwise excelled in serving its membership. Outstanding Chapter Award criteria include: URISA Ontario has won Chapter of the year, 3 times:
| Archived Award Category: Best Web GIS 2023 Gold Award: Town of Newmarket 2022 Gold Award: Town of Milton 2021 Gold Award: Town of East Gwillimbury: Parks and Trails Web Story Map 2020 Gold Award: City of Richmond Hill, Honorable Mention: City of Vaughan 2019 Gold Award: City of Hamilton: Child Youth Health Atlas 2018 Gold Award: Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program: Public Mapping Portal 2017 Gold Award: Trent Conservation Coalition: Interactive Map of the TCCR, Find Your Drinking Water System 2016 Gold Award: Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry 2015 Award: Halton Region 2014 Gold Award: Region of Waterloo 2013 Gold Award: Region of York 2012 Gold Award: City of Cornwall 2011 Gold Award: Region of Niagara for Niagara Connect 2010 Gold Award: Town of Oakville |
Current & Past Presidents of the Ontario Association
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Congratulations to all our past award winners! Interested in getting your name in our hall of fame? Check out our award categories and apply today! Questions? Email awards@bespatialontario.ca and we'd be happy to help! |