Students in 46 Canadian Universities and Colleges Awarded More Than $2.5 Million in Scholarships, Software, Books and Training to Develop GIS Skills

TORONTO – November 17, 2010 – ESRI Canada today announced the recipients of the 2010 ESRI Canada Scholarship Award. The national scholarship program recognizes Canadian universities and colleges with an exceptional focus on geographic information system (GIS) technology, and is designed to promote innovation among Canada's future leaders. This year, students from 46 educational institutions across the country will receive more than $2.5 million in scholarships and grants of ESRI software, books and training to help further develop their skills and encourage the pursuit of GIS careers. The announcement was made in celebration of GIS Day, a global event that promotes awareness of the value of geographic information and technology to society.

“GIS skills are becoming increasingly important in business, government and education,” said Alex Miller, president, ESRI Canada. “The advanced geographic analysis that can be performed using GIS has provided new perspectives in analyzing information, helping expand our discovery and deepen our understanding of our world. With this scholarship program, our goal is to equip tomorrow's leaders with advanced technology and skills to successfully address the world's challenges.”

To qualify for the program, schools must use ESRI technology for education and administration, and have a strong, multidisciplinary GIS focus. Each chosen school selects an outstanding student to receive the scholarship, a comprehensive package of the latest ESRI software, workbooks and access to ESRI Canada's training courses and conferences. Past student winners have applied the award to further their research projects. Dennis Duro, a PhD student from the University of Saskatchewan's School of Environment and Sustainability, used the ESRI technology he received as part of the award to enhance his research on the environmental impacts of human development on aquatic ecosystems. “Having my own licence means that I can really delve into the program. It gives me the opportunity to play around with the software and really explore the extent of its capabilities.”

This year, the following Canadian universities and colleges have been selected to receive the ESRI Canada Scholarship Award:

Eastern Canada
College of the North Atlantic
Dalhousie University
Memorial University of Newfoundland
New Brunswick Community College
Saint Mary's University
University of New Brunswick

Central Canada
Algonquin College
Carleton University
Cégep Limoilou
Fanshawe College
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McGill University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
Queen's University
Ryerson University
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology
Université de Montréal
Université de Sherbrooke
Université du Québec
Université Laval
University of Ottawa
University of Regina
University of Saskatchewan
University of Western Ontario
University of Windsor
Wilfrid Laurier University

Western Canada
Brandon University
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Okanagan College
Red River College
Royal Roads University
Selkirk College
Simon Fraser University
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Thompson Rivers University
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
University of Lethbridge
University of Northern British Columbia
University of Victoria
University of Winnipeg
Vancouver Island University

For more information on the ESRI Canada Scholarship Award Program, educational institutions may contact education@esricanada.com.

###

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, Azteca Systems and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada and has been named as one of the top 250 Canadian IT companies and top 25 IT professional services providers in Canada by the Branham Group. Information about ESRI Canada can be found at esricanada.com.

Media contact:
Joy Chan
PR Specialist
ESRI Canada
416-386-6488
jchan@esricanada.com
esricanada.com