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News Roundup – October 2020

How are cities like Edmonton responding to the increasing demand for curb space? What does the Workspace Management App actually look like in practice? How can GIS departments make compelling cases for SDI within their organizations? Learn more in the October News Roundup.

Feature Stories

No stopping for curbside management
Curb space is becoming more and more limited as streetscapes begin to accommodate active transportation, as meals-on-demand services become more popular and as curbside pickup practices continue to be common during the pandemic. So how can municipalities respond, and how can they better inform their decision making when it comes to allocating curb space? Arif Rafiq discusses the case of the City of Edmonton in this blog post.

New training solution to help end users make first steps into web mapping
Thanks to Web GIS, more and more decision makers are coming to GIS to get the information they need. To support these new users, Esri Canada now offers a one-day course, ArcGIS Online: Essential Workflows, to help non-specialists discover, create and use the content and templates available within ArcGIS Online.

See how we're using the Workspace Management App in our offices
The Workspace Management App helps organizations safely return staff to the workplace while maintaining appropriate social distancing. This ArcGIS StoryMaps story shows you how we’re using the Workspace Management App in Esri Canada offices, as well as how you can use it for your own staff and facilities.

Address Management paves the road to NG9-1-1
Learn more about the genesis of Esri Canada’s Address Management web app, a template that you can use to manage an inventory of civic addresses and ensure their accuracy, completeness and compliance with NG9-1-1.

CTV producer uses ArcGIS StoryMaps to win a national award for digital storytelling
One of the Truth and Reconciliation report’s recommendations is that the Canadian media should provide coverage on issues of concern to Indigenous people and all Canadians. The Ojibway Nation of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, or Gull Bay First Nation, solved a long-standing problem with accessing electricity using solar technology. Read this post for the story of how Aphrodite Salas, journalism professor at Concordia University, collaborated with Amy Luft, producer at CTV, to use ArcGIS StoryMaps to report on this success story.

Town of Newmarket launches COVID-19 self-screening app
With the help of Esri’s Coronavirus Business Continuity solution, the Town of Newmarket has developed an easy-to-use online survey-based tool to provide a safe working environment for its staff during the pandemic. Read this post to learn about the key principles behind the Town’s success.

Make a compelling business case for SDI using these building blocks
In this month’s SDI blog post, Gordon Plunkett shares potential outcomes, challenges, types of costs and benefits that you can use to develop a compelling proposal or business case for implementing or updating SDI in your organization.

Community Map of Canada Spotlight – Truro, Nova Scotia
Amanda Bent, the Town of Truro’s GIS analyst, worked with the Community Map of Canada initiative to create an authoritative basemap for the Town. With that basemap in hand, Amanda and the Town then built the #BuyLocalTruro app to support local businesses during the pandemic. In this blog post, learn more about this effort as well as how Amanda plans to continue supporting the community using GIS.

Esri Canada News

International group wins award for developing disaster forecasting for Vancouver
September 9, 2020

Esri News

Esri and AfroChampions Launch Partnership to Promote GIS in Africa
September 24, 2020

Esri Enters into Memorandum of Understanding with UN-Habitat
September 17, 2020

Esri Publishes Book about Web GIS Featuring Latest Advances in ArcGIS Platform
September 14, 2020

Esri Releases Guide about Advanced Python Scripting for ArcGIS Pro
September 11, 2020

Esri Publishes Book on Using Python to Customize ArcGIS Pro
September 10, 2020

Esri and UN Launch Global Storytelling Competition
September 9, 2020

Esri Acquires nFrames to Enhance Its 3D Capabilities
September 9, 2020

Ease Up or Lock Down? New App Shows COVID-19 Spikes and Trends in Your Community
September 1, 2020

Resources

ArcUser: Find the Best Way to Organize Your Geospatial Talent
Esri Canada’s own Matthew Lewin, director of management consulting, is featured in the Summer 2020 edition of ArcUser. In this article, he tackles the question of how to structure a team of geospatial professionals by looking at centralization, decentralization and common organizational models. Then, he goes through a step-by-step process for defining a model to fit your own organization.

Read the Summer 2020 issue of ArcUser online.

ArcNews: Nautical Charts Go Digital with Help from GIS
Nautical charts have been the navigational reference tool of choice for mariners for hundreds of years. With new technology available, chart production is changing, with hydrographic offices responding to mariners’ need for up-to-date, on-demand charts. Learn more about the prototype National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Custom Chart app and other initiatives that are taking chart production in a digital-first direction.

Read the Summer 2020 issue of ArcNews online.

WhereNext: Wanted: Business Analysts with Location Analytics Skills
As demand from the business community rises, colleges and universities accelerate efforts to graduate professionals fluent in business strategy and location analysis.

Esri & The Science of Where Podcast: In Pursuit of a More Human World Economy
Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and president of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, talks about the crucial role advanced technologies can play in crisis resolution, social innovation and human well-being.

Video: GIS Day 2020
Join us virtually this year as we celebrate GIS Day! Sign up to participate in a virtual event or register your own event here: http://ow.ly/XlpS50BvchB

This post was translated to French and can be viewed here

About the Author

Dani Pacey is a Marketing Specialist for Esri Canada. She digitized her first map at the tender age of 10 and has been fascinated by the relationships between people and places ever since. An avid technical communicator with degrees in Science & Technology Studies from York University and History of Science & Technology from the University of King's College, Dani has always blended science, social science and the humanities and loves bringing them all together to tell great stories about human life.

Profile Photo of Dani Pacey