GEOBC PUTS PROVINCE ON THE MAP, PROVIDES 24/7 ACCESS

VICTORIA – GeoBC meets the growing demands for provincial geographic information by providing 24/7 access to the Province’s geographic database which will benefit industries such as forestry, mining, and tourism, Agriculture and Lands Minister Stan Hagen announced today.

“What makes GeoBC unique is that it offers citizens, businesses and government users unprecedented access to provincial geographic information through a single Internet gateway,” said Hagen. “This information is essential for decision makers and we hope to see this information drive innovation and new business opportunities in B.C. It is through innovative solutions such as GeoBC that the Province is able to confidently step into the future and create useful links between information, technology and people.”

As a reflection of the Province’s desire to connect with GeoBC’s stakeholders and other users of geographic information, GeoBC is one of the sponsors of this year’s GeoWeb conference, which is taking place from July 21-25, 2008 in Vancouver. The GeoWeb conference focuses on the connections created between geographic information and the Internet, in addition to its associated economic potential.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a significant increase in demand for digital information that is also available through the Internet. Moreover, the popularity of GPS and other technologies have created new demands for provincial geographic information. GeoBC is based on three essential components: creating a website that gives access to provincial geographic information 24/7 at www.geobc.gov.bc.ca; providing the public access to geographic information in a simple and intuitive format; and demonstrating the Province’s leadership when it comes to making geographic information widely available to the public.

“The products and services offered by GeoBC make it easy for any organization to go about their day-to-day business without having to waste time chasing down information,” said Ron Lake, CEO and chairman of Galdos Systems Inc. “I think it’s fair to say that the Province of B.C. is truly leading the way in using open standards such as OGC, W3C, or OASIS to provide easy access to key base map and geomatic information.”

One such example is the Province’s recent partnership with Google to ensure that information viewed using Google Earth takes advantage of the highest resolution base imagery maps available: imagery sourced from the Province’s geographic warehouse. The Province’s partnership with Google is the first of its kind for any province or territory in Canada. It will allow the Province to better showcase its landscape and assets, and spur innovative new products and services from businesses and citizens alike. The Province’s geographic database has grown into one which is relied upon by tens of thousands of people to support business and critical land-based decisions.

B.C. is leading the nation in making high-quality maps and data available on a large scale, and the arrangement with Google will help promote B.C. as a great place to invest, live, work and play, particularly in the lead up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The public can access this data and services from GeoBC at www.geobc.gov.bc.ca.

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Media contact:	Caroline McAndrews Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 387-1693 250 208-3254 (cell)

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.