City leverages ready-to-use basemaps, templates and cloud services to deliver self-service apps that empower staff and citizens
Peterborough, ON – December 3, 2013 – Visit the City of Peterborough’s Web site ( peterborough.ca) and you’ll notice a new interactive map in their Geomatics section called e-Maps. It provides easy access to the City’s data including zoning, transit routes, garbage schedules, recreational facilities and other services. The new map is one of 20 Web apps the City has developed since replacing their geographic information system (GIS) with Esri’s ArcGIS platform in 2012. The technology provides access to a wealth of basemaps, app templates and cloud services, which allow the City to quickly develop Web and mobile apps that empower their staff and citizens with valuable data and spatial analysis tools.
“Unlike our previous system, ArcGIS allows us to easily integrate data from numerous sources and publish them as maps and services in the cloud to be shared across many Web sites,” remarked Mike MacLean, Geomatics/Mapping Manager, City of Peterborough. “It’s given us the ability to efficiently create mobile apps and support many of our staff who use tablets. ArcGIS has significantly reduced our software, maintenance and consulting costs, and we estimate that the technology will deliver about $250,000 in savings within five years.”
Peterborough has also developed a traffic signs app that allows their technicians to update information on the condition of traffic signs throughout the City using iPads. This has eliminated additional staffing costs and enabled real-time updating of their GIS. Previously, they hired students during the summer to go around the City and manually document the number of signs which was then entered into the GIS in the office.
“With the signs app, I can retrieve signs and support data in seconds,” noted Todd Nancekivell, Traffic Engineering Technologist, City of Peterborough. “This allows me to instantly respond to public complaints. The ability to inspect, add and remove sign information directly from an iPad app reduces the chance of error and improves the accuracy of our data.”
Sending out official notifications about construction repairs or new development to property owners is now much easier with the City’s new owner notification app. Five employees used to spend hours every month manually printing mailing labels. Now, staff only need to specify the impacted areas on a digital map and the app automatically generates mailing labels of property owners in those areas.
The City has also developed apps for community services mapping, cultural heritage management, plume and hazardous materials mapping and emerald ash borer tree inventory management, among others. Despite having a small GIS team, the City is still able to efficiently produce numerous apps. They integrate their datasets with basemaps available through Esri Canada’s Community Maps Program, as well as app templates on ArcGIS Online. Peterborough is also moving their GIS data to the Canadian Municipal Data Model, which will allow them to more rapidly deploy Web apps.
Moving to Esri technology has enabled the City to break down silos, improve productivity and enhance decision-making in such a short time. Their outstanding GIS implementation has been recognized by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) Ontario with a Best Public Sector GIS award. In the future, Peterborough is looking to integrate ArcGIS with other business systems, including their permitting, work order and financial systems. As well, they plan to incorporate Computer-Aided Design (CAD) drawings into their GIS to enhance engineering processes.
For more information on ArcGIS, visit: esri.ca/arcgis.
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About the City of Peterborough
Located an hour northeast of Toronto, Peterborough is a mid-sized municipality with 75,000 residents. It is a unique community known for its exceptional quality of life and beautiful setting in the Kawarthas tourism region. The City's proximity to major markets in Canada and the northeastern United States, combined with an effective transportation system that includes the largest commercial airport between Toronto and Ottawa, and four-lane access to the Greater Toronto Area, makes Peterborough an unparalleled setting as a business location. More information is available at peterborough.ca.
About Esri Canada
Founded in 1984, Esri Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography. The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from Esri, Schneider Electric, Cityworks – Azteca Systems, Inc. and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada. Esri Canada has joined the elite rank of Canada’s Best Managed companies and has been named to the Branham300. Information about the company can be found at
esri.ca.
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