| Title | Canadian geomatics environmental scan findings report |
| Download | Downloads |
| |
| Licence | Please note the adoption of the Open Government Licence - Canada
supersedes any previous licences. |
| Author | GeoConnections |
| Source | Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, Information Product 47e, 2016, 287 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/297709  Open Access |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2016 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is a translation of Rapport des résultats
de l'analyse de la conjoncture du secteur canadien de la géomatique |
| Related | This publication is related to Canadian geomatics
environmental scan and value study |
| File format | pdf |
| Subjects | geophysics; remote sensing; information geology; governments; computer mapping; mapping techniques; data collections; geographic information system |
| Illustrations | flow charts; tables; histograms |
| Program | GeoConnections Secretariat Project - Economic Study |
| Released | 2016 03 02 |
| Abstract | (Summary)
This report consolidates the findings of the Canadian geomatics environmental scan from all lines of enquiry for this part of the overall Canadian geomatics environmental scan and
value study. The study was motivated by growing concerns about the lack of understanding of the geomatics sector's role and contribution to the Canadian economy and society, and the future of the sector in a period of rapid transformation of the
market for geospatial information (GI) products and services. On the encouragement of the Canadian Geomatics Community Round Table1, Natural Resources Canada undertook the study, in part to support the development of a Pan-Canadian Geomatics
Strategy2.
This part of the study developed a current profile of the geomatics sector in Canada, including the industry, government and academia components and the challenges and opportunities faced by each, examined the domestic and
international markets for GI products and services and the trends and drivers of growth in the market, and explored the labour market supply and demand characteristics. The overall picture that emerged is of a market in a state of transformation and
a sector that is rapidly evolving to capture the many opportunities that the significant market changes are presenting.
A number of factors have contributed to an explosion in the use of GI and the transformative changes in the nature of the GI
market. Since the beginning of the modern digital GI period, which can be traced back to the development of the first GIS by Canadian Dr. Roger Tomlinson in 1963, the widespread adoption of global positioning systems (GPS) technologies, the
increasing access to a wealth of high quality earth observation data, the emergence and rapid acceptance by both businesses and consumers of web mapping applications developed by the so-called Mass Market Geomatics providers (e.g., Google Maps,
Mapquest and Microsoft Bing), and the proliferation of powerful, location-enabled mobile computing devices have combined to usher in a new era in geospatial information and technologies use.
Key implications for the sector include:
-
Growth potential is much more significant in GI use by 'generalists' (i.e., people with limited formal education or training in the use of geospatial information and technologies) than 'specialists' (i.e., people whose education and training
background includes GI specialization).
- Demand is growing for hosted solutions and integrated data and software applications that are easy to use with minimal training.
- GI providers need to decide whether to develop the capacity to
deliver their own integrated solutions or become a specialized part of a solutions value chain along with other partners.
- GI providers need to consider changing their business model, from a project-related income stream to a service-related
model suited to medium- to long-term business relationships with clients.
- Geomatics educators need to adapt their curricula to the market changes and increased cross-disciplinary education is needed to better equip generalists with knowledge of
basic geospatial concepts and principles. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
This report consolidates the results from all lines of enquiry for this part of the overall Canadian geomatics environmental scan and value study. The
study was motivated by growing concerns about the lack of understanding of the geomatics sector's role and contribution to the Canadian economy and society, and the future of the sector in a period of rapid transformation of the market for geospatial
information (GI) products and services. On the encouragement of the Canadian Geomatics Community Round Table, Natural Resources Canada undertook the study, in part to support the development of a Pan-Canadian Geomatics Strategy. This part of the
study developed a current profile of the geomatics sector in Canada, including the industry, government and academia components and the challenges and opportunities faced by each, examined the domestic and international markets for GI products and
services and the trends and drivers of growth in the market, and explored the labour market supply and demand characteristics. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 297709 |
|
|