Implementing the CGDI

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GeoConnections
...Canada's Geographic Information on the Internet
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What is GeoConnections?

• A national, collaborative initiative to develop
  the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure
  (CGDI).

Mission To make Canadas geographic information
accessible on the Internet
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What is GeoConnections?

• A 60-million national partnership initiative
  launched by the federal government in 1999

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• Helps encourage the development and coordination
  of the CGDI
• Supports the Canadian geomatics sector

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What is the CGDI?

• Definition of Infrastructure the underlying
  framework or foundation
• Infrastructures provide the underlying
  facilities, services, and installations needed
  for a society to function, such as
• transportation infrastructures
• communications systems infrastructures
• electrical power grids
• data infrastructures

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What is the CGDI?

• Characteristics of Infrastructures
• Standardized
• Distributed
• Interconnected
• Interoperable
• Transparent

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What is the CGDI?
Provider
Application
Interface
System
Output
Electricity
Output
Application
Interface
Provider
System
Maps/Data/ Decision Making
Geospatial Data
Web Map Service
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What is the CGDI?

• Enables users to access geospatial data, tools
  and services through the Internet

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CGDI is based on standards
CGDI-endorsed specifications

• Visualization -------------- OpenGIS Web Map
  Service (WMS)
• Data access ---------------- OpenGIS Web Feature
  Service (WFS)
• Data encoding ------------ OpenGIS Geography
  Markup Language (GML)
• Data presentation ------- OpenGIS Styled Layer
  Descriptor (SLD)
• Data query ---------------- OpenGIS filter
  encoding
• Metadata ------------------ ISO metadata
  standard (TC 211 DIS 19115)
• Catalogue/Access -------- GeoData Discovery
  catalogue service (OpenGIS spec based on
  Z39.50 profile)

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Why build the CGDI?

• Informed and shared decision making Easy access
  to current information, knowledge and expertise.
• Efficiency To reduce duplication of efforts
  through national standards, specifications and
  services that support collaboration.
• Usability Canadian governments, firms and
  individuals need a single reliable system, an
  "infrastructure, to access and use these
  geospatial resources.
• Economic Growth Export Canadian technology,
  products, expertise, and services.

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The CGDI Architecture
An application for a given community of practice

 
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On GeoConnections horizon,closing the program

• Deliver what was promised
• Foster communities of practice
• Communicate successes
• House the Inter Agency on Committee on Geomatics
  Secretariat
• Conduct program evaluations

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What had been promised

• Make Canadas geographic information accessible
  on the Internet
• Accelerate technology development and
  commercialization by the private sector
• Coordinate streamline the geo-info
  infrastructure activities of many jurisdictions
• Improve decision-making in various activity areas

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Results to Date
GeoConnections has

• Increased the amount of geospatial information
  and services available on-line
• Eased data integration issues through
  standardization
• Promoted the development of innovative technology
  and enhanced the competitiveness of Canadian
  SMEs
• Built a base structure (CGDI) which can be tapped
  by various info systems (NFIS, CISE, NLWIS)
• Expanded the use and application of geospatial
  information by working with communities of
  practice

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Delivered through key principles...

• Shared leadership, open to any interested
  stakeholder
• National partnership
• Cost-shared projects
• Leverage international standards
• Data sharing collected once, closest to source,
  seamless

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On GeoConnections horizon,planning for the
future

• Some issues
• Sustain existing Canadian geospatial data
  infrastructure common web services, policies
  and capacities
• Continue data standardization and build
  sustainable data maintenance models
• Accelerate use and broaden reach through
  communities of practise for key
  national/regional govt issues
• Further evolve geomatics capacity to supports
  decision-making and geomatics savvy policy-makers
• Address fragmentation between and within
  jurisdictions and industry
• Add capacities for integration of
  mun-prov-terr-fed

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On GeoConnections horizon,planning for the
future

• Consultative process
• - Thematic consultations with short-term advisory
  committees on health, environment, municipal,
  aboriginal and public safety
• - Regional consultations in eight cities across
  the country

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Regional policy consultations...

• What overall strategies for geomatics
  infrastructure should be a priority?
• How to define framework data?
• What data should be maintained as a public good?
• What partnership and delivery models can benefit
  both private sector and government?
• How can local governments be included?
• How can access and distribution of data be
  improved?
• What are the needs/issues of emerging geomatics
  markets?
• What are the needs/issues for land
  administration?

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Want to stay informed?

• Register to receive e-mail notices of new
  activities and opportunities
• Find out more about programs, projects and
  upcoming consultations
• Get technical information on CGDI architecture,
  standards, and specifications

Contact Craig Stewart [phone] craig.stewar
t_at_nrcan.gc.ca
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GeoConnections
...Canada's Geographic Information on the Internet