Staff Now Able to Quickly Find, Edit and Publish Data to the District's Web Map, Streamlining Operations and Improving Productivity

Victoria, BC – ESRI Canada User Conference – April 12, 2011 – ESRI Canada today presented the Capital Regional District (CRD) with an Award of Excellence for driving efficient information sharing across their organization using geographic information system (GIS) technology.  The District has been using ESRI's enterprise GIS solution since 2001 and has developed IntraMap 2.0, an internal Web mapping application that provides access to municipal geographic data.  To enhance the application, they built a powerful geodocument management system into IntraMap 2.0 in 2010.  The system allows users to not only search addresses and geographic entities within the region, but also attach documents related to those entities on a Web map.  As a central portal for enterprise data, the system has significantly improved planning and operations within the District.

“Nearly all local government decisions have a location component, yet many municipalities continue to struggle with making their geographic data accessible within their organizations,” said Alex Miller, president, ESRI Canada.  “The Capital Regional District has done remarkably well in leveraging both GIS and Internet technologies to provide efficient access to their data.  With their enhanced Web mapping application, they have empowered their users with the ability to share information and make intelligent decisions quickly.  Their successful internal application has built their capacity to develop similar applications for external users, so that the public can benefit as well from leveraging the power of geographic information.”   

The geodocument management system leverages ESRI's ArcGIS Server technology, which provides advanced functionality for geographic analysis, mapping and data management.  It is integrated with Microsoft SharePoint, which lets users manage and publish documents in a central location.  Instead of spending hours searching manually through folders of paper files, municipal engineers, planners and administrative staff can click on a geographic feature within a sewer network on IntraMap 2.0 and the corresponding image and data will appear.  Now, they can also link documents such as bylaws directly to digital land-use maps for quick reference.  Staff across departments can look up documents by number, name, description, author, category and other criteria. 

“We have not just built a Web application, we have created business value,” said Ken Johansson, senior GIS administrator, CRD.  “We've developed a common platform for our users to share, search and discover information.  Our application has delivered significant time savings and enhanced efficiencies across our organization.”

In addition, the District has also launched the Regional Community Atlas, a new external Web mapping application that provides fast, intuitive access to many layers of information and the most recent aerial photography of the region.  The application allows the public to download geographic data and view printable maps.

For more information about ESRI's ArcGIS Server, visit esricanada.com/products/arcgisserver.
See related article: Web-Based Geodocument Management Empowers Staff at the Capital Regional District

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About the Capital Regional District
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government for the 13 municipalities and three electoral areas that are located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The urban centre of the CRD is the City of Victoria, and the regional district also includes many of the Gulf Islands, a number of rural municipalities and a vast tract of wilderness that lies along the south-western coast of Vancouver Island.  The CRD provides regional governance and services for the entire Capital Region, including regional parks, regional planning, solid waste management and emergency 9-1-1 services.  More information is available at www.crd.bc.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 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
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esricanada.com