The subject: New Mapping in the North and Its Challenge

Moderator: Paul Jolicoeur, NRCan

Approximately 20 participants attended this panel. Among them were representatives of Parcs Canada, DND, Nunavut Government and NWT Government.

Paul Jolicoeur from Natural Resources Canada introduced the panelists and presented the actual situation of Base Mapping activities in the Territories.

Daniel Clavet from Natural Resources Canada presented the CartoNord Project which included results from previous data acquisition contracts and a description of ongoing experimental production.

Paul Briand from the Canadian Space Agency gave a picture of critical northern issues and how Earth Observation satellites such as RADARSAT can be an asset to mapping.

Jeff Rusk from the Nunavut Planning Commission, presented the commission role and structure, and its ongoing GIS activities and applications. He also acknowledged agreements with NRCan for the use of topographic data and the need for up to date and accurate data at the 1:50,000 scale.

Jeff Rusk presenting Nunavut Planning Commission

He pointed out that CanMatrix and Topolan data meet their needs in the short term, that GeoBase is not the ideal solution but could be in the long term if there is full topographic content.

Topics brought up pertained to base mapping requirements such as accuracy versus user needs and to production planning issues such as production rate, maintenance, etc. Discussions referred to NRCan's base mapping standards and specifications and that production aspects are relative to financial input.

For more information about this activity, please contact Paul Jolicoeur