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5.1 Support and Role of GeoConnections
GeoConnections is a national partnership and funding program to encourage the
development and growth of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI)
(see inset). The first phase of the program concluded in 2005 with most of the
infrastructure built through partnerships between federal, provincial, and
territorial governments,
and the private geomatics
sector. In 2005, the
program was renewed
until 2010 to extend
infrastructure
development in support of
priority decision-making in
the areas of environment
and sustainable
development, public
health, public safety, and
matters of importance to
Aboriginal peoples.
Currently the priority
issues in the area of
environment and
sustainable development
are to support legislative
or regulatory requirements
linked to: a) integrated
The Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI)
The Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) provides
on-demand discovery, access, visualization, mapping, and
sharing of geospatial data and information in an inter-operable,
on-line working environment. The infrastructure’s key elements
are:
• enabling the discovery of primarily Canadian sources of
geospatial data and services (metadata);
• supplying national framework (base) map layers and
other selected priority thematic data layers in a digital
format for free download;
• enhancing the sharing of new geospatial data (raw and
value-added) through a closest-to-source, distributed
network of data suppliers;
• development and promotion of existing and emerging data
content, publishing, mapping, and exchange
standards; and
• creation and implementation of policies to enhance all of
the above.
For more details on the CGDI, visit
land-use planning (also includes oceans and freshwater planning), and/or b)
environmental assessment (EA) (especially regional EAs and strategic EAs).
These priorities have been developed and approved by the Environment and
Sustainable Development Advisory Committee (ESDAC) and endorsed by the
GeoConnections Management Board.
GeoConnections supports the ILM initiative in several direct ways:
• provides staff support to the ILM Steering Committee;
• provides matching funding to Environment Canada to operate the ILM
Secretariat, which will provide the key co-ordinating function for the
ILM Network;
• provides matching funding for five regional pilot initiatives (to be
decided in Stage 3) to operate as “living laboratories” to demonstrate
ILM principles in real situations with links to regional and local issues,
and the involvement of key decision-makers;
• provides matching funding to the International Institute for Sustainable
Development, which is drawing upon its expertise and experience in
dealing with ILM within Canada and internationally. IISD will prepare
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