Northwest Territories’ largest city to upgrade cityExplorer app and integrate more business systems with GIS to deliver better citizen services  

EDMONTON, Esri Canada User Conference – October 3, 2013 – The City of Yellowknife has been using Esri’s geographic information system (GIS) platform since 1999. GIS powers cityExplorer, the City’s online interactive map, which helps citizens find services and allows visitors to explore Yellowknife. An internal version of the mapping app includes integrations with the City’s financial, core municipal and document management systems, and supports public works, finance, community services and fire department operations. To improve upon cityExplorer, the City is upgrading its GIS and also integrating it with other business systems to extend self-serve mapping and geospatial analysis capabilities across city departments. For expanding their use of the technology across the enterprise, Esri Canada today presented the City with an Award of Excellence in GIS. 

“Mapping self-services significantly reduce the amount of time our two-person GIS team spends on fulfilling map requests,” says Dominic Doiron, Systems Analyst - GIS, City of Yellowknife. “It allows us to focus on improving the quality of our data and infrastructure, as well as explore new capabilities for delivering better services. Using the latest GIS technology positions us to effectively support the growing needs of our community.” 

“Yellowknife’s enterprise approach to using GIS increases their efficiency,” notes Alex Miller, president, Esri Canada. “Integrating more business processes into their GIS will allow them to see everything that’s happening across the City at once. This will provide them with more accurate, up-to-date information to make intelligent decisions.” 

The City will use Esri’s ArcGIS for Server platform and Geocortex Essentials software to enhance the performance, look and usability of cityExplorer. Soon, citizens will be able to access more datasets including aerial imagery through the app. This will be particularly useful to City staff in detecting change in Yellowknife’s landscape in support of land-use and urban development planning. 

Yellowknife also recently replaced its asset management system with Cityworks Asset Management software, which integrates with ArcGIS for Server and the City’s financial system. The solution will    improve community services by automating workflows for managing citizen service requests. It will also support better financial management by feeding current public works asset inventory information and work orders status into the financial system. 

For more information about ArcGIS, visit: esri.ca/arcgis.

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About the City of Yellowknife

Yellowknife is a culturally rich capital thriving with diversity, and home to about 20,000 people. Located on the shores of the beautiful Great Slave Lake, only 512 km south of the Arctic Circle, the City offers unrivalled opportunities for investment, tourism, business development and employment.  The abundance of minerals, oil and gas in the Northwest Territories (NWT) has had dramatic economic impacts on Yellowknife.  Since the discovery of diamonds in 1991, there are three operating diamond mines in the NWT. Learn more at yellowknife.ca.

About Esri Canada

Founded in 1984, Esri Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography.  The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from Esri, Telvent, Cityworks – Azteca Systems, Inc. and other technology partners.  Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada.  Esri Canada has joined the elite rank of Canada’s Best Managed companies and has been named to the Branham300.  Information about the company can be found at esri.ca.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Nalini Naidoo
Director, Communications & Economic Development
City of Yellowknife
Email Contact 
(867) 920-5693
Esri Canada: Email Contact