OGC: What Should the Canadian Geospatial Community do Next?
All interested representatives from Canadian organisations are invited to attend the Banff meeting, in person or remotely. Please register at this link; https://portal.opengeospatial.org/public_ogc/register/1909canadaforum.php More information is available at ogcmeet.org. We hope to see you there!
Canada has historically been a world leader in standards-based geospatial technologies that support the ability to find, access, analyze, share, and re-use geospatial data and information. Collaboration between government, the private sector, academia and research, with a strong focus on international partners and export markets, has remained at the core of Canada’s geospatial ecosystem and underscored the value of standards-based technologies. Canadian organizations now provide technology, expertise, policy guidance and more to assist in developing geospatial capacity in Canada and throughout the world.
The world is on the cusp of a geospatial revolution, with rapid changes in the rate of collection and availability of location data from traditional and emerging sources. This is occurring at a crucial time, with the number and intensity of issues related to climate change on the rise. Canada is already witnessing climate-related impacts to its lands, coasts, oceans, and Arctic territories – impacts that will only continue to increase and further challenge Canada’s economy, its ability to build and maintain sustainable communities, and the safety of its citizens.
The OGC Canada Forum on Geospatial Standards aims to bring together diverse geospatial stakeholders to identify requirements for all aspects of geospatial data and information (e.g. sharing, capacity building, innovation, outreach, business development). A volunteer effort comprising Indigenous, government, private, academic, and research representatives, the Forum strives to reinvigorate Canadian collaboration within an increasingly challenging and competitive world. In consultation with the Canadian community, areas of interest have been identified, including the Arctic; coasts and oceans; natural disasters; smart and resilient communities; and others. At the core is a need to focus on innovation and to harness the expertise of the community for the common benefit of Canada and the world.
The Canada Forum will meet to discuss options for a work plan with the goal of presenting a progress update in June 2020, at the planned Montreal OGC meetings. All interested representatives from Canadian organisations are invited to attend the Banff meeting, in person or remotely. More information is available at ogcmeet.org. We hope to see you there!
