GoGeomatics

GoGeomatics: CCOG is a federal-provincial-territorial organization. How has this inter-jurisdiction structure helped you reach your goals? Andy Calarco: The CCOG functions on the principle of collaboration and cost-sharing between federal, provincial and territorial governments. CCOG work has resulted in core, nationally standardized data sets and... a reduction of duplication between governments, often at substantial cost savings. This inter-jurisdictional collaboration has also resulted in one of the world's first examples of open data, which is now available on the federal government's open data website at data.gc.ca. These data are used in applications for agriculture, natural resource development, transportation, environmental assessment, land claims, boundary discussions, and emergency management. GoGeomatics: The Canadian Council on Geomatics was created in 1972. How has it evolved since its creation? Andy Calarco: Like the mapping industry as a whole, CCOG has evolved significantly over its forty year history. Traditionally, CCOG was primarily a vehicle for sharing information among Surveyors General from different Canadian jurisdictions. While Surveyors General remain actively engaged, notably on the CCOG Cadastral and Geodetic Capacity working groups, the advent of new technologies and the growing importance of earth observation finds reflection in CCOG's changing membership and in the increasing scope of its areas of interest. GoGeomatics How is the CCOG membership structured, who is in charge and what is your role? Andy Calarco: CCOG members represent federal, provincial and territorial governments' major geomatics organizations (responsible for the provision, standardization and co-ordination of geospatially referenced data). The Chair of the CCOG rotates between jurisdictions. At each year's Annual General Meeting the Chair is handed to the principal delegate from the jurisdiction that will host the following year's AGM. In early of October this year, Nova Scotia finished its term and passed the ...Read More