| Abstract | (Summary)
While people have used maps for thousands of years to record and share information about places and to tell stories, in the current digital age, maps are increasingly complex,
dynamic, and integrate many types of geospatial data and services. Using maps and geospatial data, we can better understand our environment and address the challenges society faces, including climate change, public health, trade and economic
development, and natural resource management.
The Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) helps us to find, use, and share geospatial information. The CGDI does not refer to a database or system, but rather, a collection of publicly
available data and resources such as standards and policies to help ensure compatibility and interoperability. Enabling Canadians to find, access, and use geospatial data benefits society, the environment, and the economy.
For Canadian
organizations, the support that CGDI provides is important because: Collecting data is expensive and the CGDI helps users to discover data that already exists and to share data and information they have produced and want others to use; Standards
ensure geospatial systems can communicate in a world where digital systems are increasingly connected and reliant on each other. Without standards, these inter-connected systems could not be developed or would not function the way they were intended
to function; Digital technology is developing rapidly and CGDI helps users to build capacity, collaborate, and to keep pace with technology evolution and trends, such as open data and open standards.
This CGDI Primer is intended to help new and
current users of geospatial data increase their understanding of spatial data infrastructures and to recognize the benefits and advantages of participation in the CGDI. The information in this Primer may be useful to users with variety of roles and
functions within their organizations, including new practitioners, environment and lands managers, data managers, planners, policy analysts, researchers, and social and environmental service providers.
Complementing this Primer, a CGDI Cookbook
provides numerous step-by-step 'recipes' related to data, technology, policies, standards, partnerships, and human resources. The recipes are designed to be standalone 'how-to' documents to help integrate different components of CGDI into users'
activities. A glossary of CGDI terminology helps new and novice users understand the technical terms that are used. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
This CGDI Primer (2020) is intended to help new and current users of geospatial data increase their understanding of spatial data infrastructures and to
recognize the benefits and advantages of participation in the CGDI. The information in this Primer may be useful to users with variety of roles and functions within their organizations, including new practitioners, environment and lands managers,
data managers, planners, policy analysts, researchers, and social and environmental service providers. |