Geomatics Service Centre Network

Table of Contents

1. A Little Bit About Us
2. Guelph Geomatics Service Centre
3. Products and Services
4. Maps
5. Service Centre Staff

A Little Bit About Us

The Ontario Government has committed to consolidating the management of Information and Information Technology (I&IT) through the creation of ministry I&IT clusters. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is part of the Land and Resources Cluster that also includes MNR, MOE, and MNDM. The establishment of geomatic service centres is one of five Land and Resources Cluster I&IT initiatives. The centres are been created in response to a growing need for geomatic services within the Land and Resources Cluster.

Currently five Geomatics Service Centre have been established in Guelph, Rexdale, Peterborough, Timmins and Thunder Bay. A host ministry manages each centre.

The centres house a team of experienced geographic information professionals offering services in data acquisition, data analysis and data presentation. The centres operate as a network - sharing workload, technology and expertise.

Guelph Geomatics Service Centre

OMAFRA is the host ministry for the Guelph Geomatics Service Centre. Currently the centre is focussed on providing geomatics services for agriculture-related projects.

OMAFRA has also committed to undertaking two key projects in conjunction with Land Information Ontario (LIO). This commitment involves producing high quality, geo-referenced Soils and Municipal Drain/Tile Drain information for input to the LIO Data Warehouse. The Guelph Geomatics Service Centre is undertaking these projects.

The Geomatics Service Centre is located at 1 Stone Rd. West, 3rd Floor SE, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2.

Products and Services

The word Geomatics tends to be a little vague. In fact the term is so new finding a dictionary definition is even difficult. In a nutshell we understand Geomatics to be the acquisition, analysis, and presentation of geographic data.

Geomatics is commonly divided up into 4 main categories; cartography, modelling and analysis, remote sensing, and data automation and tool development.

Maps

The ministry sells three types of maps. A brief description of each can be found below:

Artificial Drainage Systems Maps: Indicate the locations of tile drainage systems installed by licenced contractors from 1983 to the late 1990s. The maps are available in white print format, at a scale of 1:25,000. Printed size is approximately 30" x 42".

Cost: $10 per sheet

To order call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047 or send an e-mail to ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca and provide the requested geographic township name(s) and your credit card information.

Artifical Drainage Systems Digital Data: Starting in the late 1990s, OMAFRA has been replacing the hard copy maps with digital data stored in a GIS (Geographical Information System). For more information, please visit the Tile Drainage Project web page. To acquire digital data please contact Land Information Ontario (for Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange members), a Ministry of Natural Resources licenced base data dealer or OMAFRA GIS at omafra.gis@ontario.ca.

Agricultural Land Use Systems Maps: Indicate the variation in land use systems and non-use systems. Maps are by township. Available in white print format, at a scale of 1:50,000. Size- 30"X 24" approx.

Cost: $10 per sheet.

Canada Land Inventory - Agricultural Capability Rating Maps: Indicate the breakdown of Ontario's agricultural land into seven capability classes. The information is overlain on 1:50,000 National Topographic System (NTS). Available in white print format, at a scale of 1:50,000 for areas of significant agricultural activity in northern and southern Ontario. Size- 30"X36" approx.

The Canada Land Inventory Maps are currently being edited and digitally compiled. The updates have begun in Southern Ontario and are progressing east. These are now available as either paper or digital copies of a map or the digital data (shapefiles). This information is currently available at no charge. For areas where editing and compilation have not been done, for example part of eastern Ontario and northern Ontario, continue to use the original Canada Land Inventory - Agricultural Capability Rating Maps.

Cost: $10 per sheet

To obtain information and order copies of any of the maps listed above, contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047.

Service Centre Staff

Bob Steiss
Senior Geographic Information Systems Specialist
(519) 826-4032
bob.steiss@ontario.ca

Jennifer Birchmore
Senior Geographic Information Systems Specialist
(519) 826-3799
jennifer.birchmore@ontario.ca

Dan Bihari
Geographic Information Technician
(519) 826-4141
dan.bihari@ontario.ca