Your Canadian Geospatial Briefing for August 7th: 2018 Report for Canadian Geospatial Capacity; Michael Rack and MDA; Current and Nokia; Alert Geomatics

CCMEO has published a Report outlining Canada’s efforts to develop geospatial capacity at the UN

Today, in the margins of the #UNGGIM meeting in New York, @GeoscienceAus 🇦🇺 signed a MoU with @NRCan 🇨🇦 formalising our cooperation to promote Earth Observation & #geoscience information for #SustainableDevelopment of natural resources. pic.twitter.com/1h7Tj9BoU3

— Ambassador James Larsen 🇦🇺🇺🇳 (@AustraliaUN) August 3, 2018

Ahead of the Eighth Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, the Canadian Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation has submitted the 2018 Canadian report for geospatial capacity (English Version) (French version). The report looks at Canada’s efforts to develop its geospatial capacity in the past, present, and future. NRCan provides insight into the federal, provincial and territorial government activities that are contributing to the creation of Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure. 

Canadian Michael Rack Returns to lead at MDA

Following a 23-year career in aerospace, defense, security and the space industry, Michael Rack is returning to Canada to lead MDA Commercial. Rack has served as the Vice President of international sales for General Dynamics Mission Systems and Senior Vice President at Inmarsat. With Rack’s skills in space commercial products, MDA looks forward to a new phase of growth as new markets open worldwide for satellites, orbit servicing, and space exploration, mining and tourism.

Current’s CityIQ will boost Canadian Smart Cities

Current by GE is partnering with Nokia to improve smart city infrastructure in Canada. Current will give Nokia access to GE’s CityIQ platform technology, which will collect data and insights through Nokia’s secure communications networks. The goal of the partnership is to help cities gain new operational insights and enable app developers to address challenges like parking, traffic management, air quality monitoring and public safety. Current by GW works with municipalities and utility providers to incorporate digital technology that pushes urban growth to the next level. The collaboration between Nokia and Current dovetails well with Canada’s recent Smart Cities Challenge, which saw community leaders teaming up with businesses and civic organizations to design innovative digital solutions for civic problems.

Alert Geomatics of Dartmouth gets major funding

The division of Xeos Technologies Inc. Alert Geomatics recently received $273,750 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The company will use the funding to develop a marketing plan to support the sale of a new line of precision geomatics monitoring products. The funding will also help Alert Geomatics diversify from its current line of ocean technology products and market a new line of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers for land-based applications. GNSS receivers measure the distance to orbiting satellites, which then pinpoint the precise location of ground surfaces.