June 17, 2009: The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) is pleased to announce another important geographic information systems (GIS) award win for its Community Geomatics Centre (CGC). URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association), the premiere non-profit organization for the use and integration of spatial information technologies, presented SSMIC with the URISA Ontario Best Public Sector GIS Award at its annual “Be Spatial '09” Presentation Program and EXPO, in Toronto.

The URISA Ontario Best Public Sector GIS Award is designed to increase the awareness of the use of GIS in improving effectiveness and efficiency of public sector operations. Previously known as the Best Municipal GIS in Ontario Award, its name was expanded to Best Public Sector GIS in order to include all levels of government and other public sector agencies.

“The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre’s Community Information Utility exists to help organizations collaborate, share and integrate information to improve the well being of every citizen,” said Jason Collins, client services manager, SSMIC. “This award is meaningful because it recognizes our Information Utility model as a powerful new tool that can support sustainable renewal and growth and help build prosperous healthy communities.”

SSMIC previously won the URISA Best Municipal GIS in Ontario Award in 2006 and 2003, and is the only three time winner of the award.

“We are very proud of our GIS staff for this important achievement,” said Tom Vair, executive director, SSMIC. “It is an honour to be recognized by an organization such as URISA, on a provincial level and have this opportunity to showcase the unique community GIS solution we have in Sault Ste. Marie.”

The CGC developed an Integrated Community Geomatics System (ICGS) which served as a large scale, multi-enterprise GIS solution for the Municipality and the Public Utilities Commission of Sault Ste. Marie. The ICGS model has been recognized as one of the most advanced community GIS implementations and provides tangible benefits by improving municipal operations and streamlining processes. The ICGS has since evolved into what is now recognized as the world’s first true Community Information Utility (CIU). An information utility provides informatics services such as data sharing and data analysis for almost all organizations within a community. This new model resulted in cooperative, efficient and cost-effective sharing of information amongst community organizations and partners, including the health, education and social agency sectors. With the emergence of a CIU, the analysis of shared information has led to significant improvements in the overall health, public safety and operational efficacy of the community. Sault Ste. Marie exemplifies a successful Community Information Utility model that other municipalities are currently looking to replicate.

The CGC has won several awards including the International ESRI Health Communication Award (2008), ESRI Canada Special Achievement in GIS Award (2007), Leadership in the Field of GIS in Ontario (2006), ESRI Award of Excellence for GIS in Health Care (2006), Best Municipal GIS in Ontario (2003 & 2006) and the Most Comprehensive Municipal/Utilities GIS in Canada (2003).

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About Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre was founded in 1999 and serves as a catalyst for growth in the IT, science and knowledge based sectors in the Algoma District. In 2009, they merged with science enterprise Algoma to combine resources and accomplish their mutual goals of enhanced innovation capacity for both the IT and bioscience sectors. The Innovation Centre works closely with community partners to enhance and improve science and IT sector opportunities.

The Innovation Centre is focused on four core areas: operating a business incubator to encourage the establishment and growth of business start-ups; providing support services to the SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) IT and science community; supporting the establishment and enhancement of advanced research projects in the region and undertaking strategic market development projects such as the highly successful GIS project.

The Innovation Centre operates an award-winning GIS department that has been recognized internationally for its unique community information utility model and advanced work in the health and human services sector.

Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre
1520 Queen Street East, NW 307
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2G4
Telephone: 705-942-7927
http://www.ssmic.com

For More Information Contact:

Mei Ling
Communications Manager
Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre
1520 Queen St. E., Rm. NW307
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2G4
705-942-7927, Ext. 3122
mling@ssmic.com
www.ssmic.com
www.itssm.com