Which maps and apps made it to the 2014 Calendar?

Every year, we produce the Esri Canada Calendar, one of the best showcases of Canadian GIS successes. Featuring outstanding maps and apps from across the country, many look forward to taking a closer look at how organizations in various industries use GIS.

It’s truly impressive to see the breadth of analysis being done with GIS. From predicting the global spread of diseases to monitoring change in provincial park ecosystems and planning emergency response for enhanced public safety, your map and app submissions demonstrate how GIS can be applied to every concern.

The 2014 calendar features 11 maps with beautiful cartographic design and 4 compelling apps. While they display content on a variety of subjects, one thing’s common among all of them – they’re all effective communication tools.

Figure 1: VicMap, an app by the City of Victoria in BC, was selected as our September feature. It displays numerous data layers including property information, permit applications and city services. Available in both desktop and mobile versions, it’s a useful app for personal and business decision-making.

Figure 2: This map, selected as our December feature, effectively demonstrates the power of GIS in making complex and large amounts of data understandable. It shows the analysis of commercial flight routes worldwide performed using Bio.Diaspora, which allows epidemiologists to predict the potential spread of infectious diseases across global networks.

In addition to efficiently disseminating information, some maps are used to gather feedback and increase citizen engagement.

Figure 3: January features a map by the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources, which was used to help gather public input on guidelines for the management and development of forests.

The four apps selected for the calendar not only deliver useful information and allow users to interact with data, they also provide a rich exploration experience.

Figure 4: The City of St. Albert’s Art in Public Places app, our April feature, uses the Esri Map Tour template to engage residents and visitors to explore the murals, sculptures and other art installations throughout the City right from their desktop.

This year, we received numerous map and app submissions. It was a challenge for our judging committee to keep the selection to 12, so we’ve included three more exceptional entries as honourable mentions.

Figure 5: The Biomass Inventory Mapping and Analysis Tool (BIMAT) app, submitted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, displays information on the supply and location of biological material that can be used for fuel. It’s one of three entries that received an honourable mention this year.

Here’s the complete list of maps and apps that made it to our 2014 calendar. These were selected for their interesting content, beautiful cartographic rendering, wide regional representation and impact. (Some good tips to remember if you plan to join the contest next year.)

• January – Public Consultation on Operational Plans for Integrated Forest Management for 2013-2016, Management Unit 62-52 by the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources
• February – Firefighter Staffing and Response Modelling – City of Oshawa by Dillon Consulting
• March – Prince Edward Island Provincial Road Atlas by PEI Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
• April – Art in Public Places by City of St. Albert
• May – Major Energy and Petrochemical Industry Pipelines in Northern Strathcona County by Strathcona County
• June – Geology of the Alberta Rocky Mountains and Foothills by Alberta Energy Regulator
• July – Whiteshell Provincial Park Pre-Response Plan, Values at Risk – Zone 86 by GeoManitoba
• August – The Evolution of the Greater Ecosystem of the Mauricie National Park by Parks Canada Agency
• September – VicMap by City of Victoria
• October – Dunster Mature Pine by British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
• November – e-Maps Peterborough by City of Peterborough
• December – Global Flight Network 2013 by Bio.Diaspora

Honourable mentions:

• Potential Tsunami Impact Areas by District of Kitimat
• Biomass Inventory Mapping and Analysis Tool by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Time-of-Use Billing Map by Entegrus

Congratulations to all the winners and to Dan Crawford from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, who won the draw for the trip to the 2014 Esri UC.

To all who submitted entries, thank you and we hope you participate again in next year’s contest.

Explore the maps and apps in our online gallery.