With its contingent of dynamic, passionate geomatics specialists, the goal of the Geomatics Expertise and Solution Center (GESC) is to make its consultants more proficient in the area of information technology applied to geomatics.
| |
Technologies |
| ESRI |
ArcGIS Suite – ArcSDE data server – ArcGIS Server – ArcIMS distribution server – ArcObjects development |
| Intergraph |
GeoMedia Professional – GeoMedia WebMap |
| Open Source |
PostgreSQL and MySQL databases
MapServer (University of Minnesota) and MapGuide Open Source (Autodesk) distribution servers
Web client/viewer (e.g. OpenLayers, MapBuilder, quickWMS, Chameleon) |
| Spatial Database |
ArcSDE – Oracle Spatial – SQL Server – PostgreSQL and its spatial database extension PostGIS |
| Interoperability Standards |
ISO and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) – Web Feature Service (WFS), Web Map Service (WMS), Geography Markup Language (GML), Metadata, Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD), Web Map Context (WMC) |
The GESC members devote considerable time and effort to getting their certification from the GIS Certification Institute, which recognizes the skills and know-how of geographic information system professionals. They also team up to test out new technologies and share their knowledge.
Our experts can also access a spatial referencing database laboratory, available to them for training and R&D.
Given the growing importance of interoperability and geographic information exchange standards, our experts keep up with the latest new standards—such as WFS, WMS and WMC—which are constantly changing, and test them out.
Oracle and ESRI partner
The partnership agreement between DMR and Oracle lets the GESC members leverage the expertise of this provider's specialists, particularly for the ArcGIS product suite.
Our association with ESRI Canada, the global leader in GIS technology, lets us exploit ESRI's strong market position to access clients using ESRI technology in both Canada and abroad. We also benefit from a broad range of development, marketing and sales support services.
Achievements
A generic geomatics viewer
We built an online geographic data query system for Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and wildlife (MRNF). This configurable system meets the Ministry's common needs for online map consultation functions. New systems can be added to it. It can be parameterized to connect to any of the Ministry's databases to distribute vector, matrix and descriptive data. The online spatial data query system can also restrict access to the functions to a specific user group. Spatial information exchanges with outside systems that use it are also possible.
This project is based on ESRI Web distribution technologies (ArcIms, ArcSDE and Java Connector) and open source Web development tools such as Web Apache Server and Eclipse, as well as Java.
Savings for the mine exploration industry
Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife engaged DMR specialists to do several jobs related to Géologie Québec's geoscientific systems. The Système d'information géominière du Québec (SIGÉOM) is the cornerstone. SIGÉOM gives the mine exploration industry quality geoscientific information on Quebec mining potential. The goal? Increase the likelihood of mine discoveries and cut exploration costs.
SIGÉOM manages all of Géologie Québec's spatial referencing data: geology, geochemistry, mine operation, geophysical, geographic database, diamond drilling, mining and metal-bearing deposits. Géologie Québec clients can use the Web component of SIGÉOM to find and consult available products and data. They can also buy the data and products and download them directly to their workstations.
The system incorporates the use of Internet, electronic imaging, geomatics and e-commerce technologies.
Successful integration
Our GESC experts are currently involved in a large project to develop the geomatics system for Quebec's Chief Electoral Officer. The challenge? They must transparently integrate it with an existing system: the one managing the permanent voters list (LEP system), so our employees must ensure that the new system's components are compatible with those of the LEP system—a task well within their capabilities.
The system constructed will use the latest commercially available geomatics technologies, such as ArcEditor, ArcIMS, ArcSDE, Maplex and ArcObjects.
Proficiency in the latest technologies
For Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife, we built a system to record intervening and tenancy rights to public lands. The system integrates Internet and client/server technologies, e-commerce, geomatics and an electronic agenda for remotely entering and consulting data on publication of rights.
We used object oriented technology, such as .NET, ArcObjects and Geomedia WebMap, on this project. We also combined several new technologies such as ArcInfo, ArcGIS, ArcSDE, Oracle 9i Spatial, Oracle Forms for the Web, IIS (Microsoft) and IAS (Oracle).
Cross-border expertise
We designed and implemented a spatial referencing data warehouse for Instituto Geográfico de Venezuela Simón Bolívar (IGVSB), a project conducted both on site and remotely. This data warehouse centralizes all the information the Institute stores and distributes. It can store, update, share and disseminate the information. This system especially allows the Institute to improve the productivity of its business units, ensure the security and sustainability of its legacy data, improve its customer service and make better decisions about land-use planning.
The latest technologies were used: ESRI (ArcSDE, ArcIMS, ArcInfo, ArcObjects and ArcGIS) and Qstar (HSM and API), Oracle 9i and IIS (Microsoft), to name just a few. Our experts also used digital airborne imagery, digital photogrammetric mapping and GPS.
A common geomatics infrastructure
We developed the Système d'Information Géographique Ministériel en Alimentation (SIGMA) for Quebec's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ). This system gives MAPAQ's departments a common geomatics data and process infrastructure that supports them in their operations.
The system uses the latest functions of ESRI technology, including ArcGIS 9.2. Other recent technologies used included Oracle 10g, Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.
Road network information management and distribution
Our experts developed the geographic road information database for Quebec's Ministry of Transportation (MTQ). Of the MTQ official registers, this application is the only spatial referencing information system used to manage the geometry and division of the road network. It can also distribute all that information over an intranet.
We used Intergraph technologies Geomedia Pro and Geomedia WebMap on this project, and combined those technologies with those of Oracle (Oracle Spatial) and Microsoft (Visual Studio and IIS).