GeoIgnite 2025 is almost here! Taking place from May 12-14, 2025, at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre, the pre-conference day on May 12 offers a fantastic opportunity to dive into free programs designed to enhance your knowledge and skills and grow as a professional. These sessions are designed to provide insights into Canada’s geospatial future, self-reliance, and innovation, while allowing you to network and learn from industry experts.

These sessions are free and open to anyone — you don’t need to buy a conference ticket to participate but you should claim your free ticket now.

Here’s what you can look forward to on May 12:

In-Person Canada’s Geospatial Future: Innovation & Self-Reliance

May 12, 9 AM

This open forum invites all attendees to engage in discussions on Canada’s path toward greater self-reliance in the geospatial sector, particularly in light of emerging trade conflicts, including the recent U.S. tariffs, and evolving global geopolitical shifts. The forum will explore strategies to strengthen Canada’s technological capabilities and reduce reliance on external sources.

CCMEO  In-Person Student Hackathon Results: Building Resilience with GEO.ca

May 12, 11 AM

The top student teams will present their innovative solutions built using GEO.ca, Canada’s open geospatial data platform. The results of the 2025 Hackathon will be announced, followed by presentations from the winning teams. This program also available online. Register for access

In-Person and Virtual OGC Canada Forum

May 12, 1 PM

Join the OGC Canada Forum to explore key topics like Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and the integration of BIM with GIS. Industry experts, academia, and government representatives will discuss how these technologies impact Canada’s built environment and how OGC standards drive innovation.

This program is also available online. Register here for access.

These free sessions offer a unique chance to enhance your knowledge and contribute to the future of Canada’s geospatial landscape. Make sure to reserve your spot and join us for these valuable discussions!

Don’t forget to explore the full program for May 12

And here is the full GeoIgnite conference schedule

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