[SDI-Africa] FW: [Caglist] "Canada's New Government Provides Free Online Access to Digital Mapping Data"

[Craig von Hagen]

FYI

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-egip at jrc.it [mailto:owner-egip at jrc.it] On Behalf Of Bartlett,
Darius
Sent: 01 May 2007 15:09
To: european-gi-policy at jrc.it
Cc: Christian van den Bosch
Subject: FW: [Caglist] "Canada's New Government Provides Free Online Access
to Digital Mapping Data"

This announcement from the CAGLIST mailing forum, passed on to me by a UCC
colleague, may be of interest? 
Cheers
Darius


************************************************* 
Darius Bartlett                       Darius Bartlett 
Department of Geography           Roinn na Tireolaiochta 
University College Cork             Colaste na hOllscoile Corcaigh  
Cork, Ireland                         Corcaigh, Eire 
Phone: (+353) 21 4902835           E-mail: DJB at UCC.IE 
Web:http://www.ucc.ie/academic/geography/pages/staff/bartlett_d.htm
************************************************* 
This message was transmitted using 100% recycled electrons.... 
************************************************* 

-----Original Message-----
From: caglist-bounces at lists.uvic.ca [mailto:caglist-bounces at lists.uvic.ca] 
Sent: 23 April 2007 20:13
To: caglist at lists.uvic.ca
Subject: [Caglist] "Canada's New Government Provides Free Online Access to
Digital Mapping Data"

Canada's New Government Provides Free Online Access to Digital Mapping Data

OTTAWA - Experts and other users of digital topographic data will no 
longer have to pay to use digital versions of government maps and 
data. The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, today 
announced that as of April 1, 2007, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) 
began making its electronic topographic mapping data available to all 
users free of charge over the Internet.

"Our Government recognizes the importance of providing Canadians with 
access to the latest digital mapping information at no cost," said 
Minister Lunn. "Not only will Canadians now have free access to 
digital maps, but Canada will be known as an important source for 
digital mapping data around the world."

Topographic data provide information on the location of landscape 
features - such as lakes, rivers and elevations - and also roads, 
railways and administrative boundaries. This information is used for 
many purposes by governments, academia and the private sector to 
provide valuable maps for Canadians.

The new no-fee access policy applies to data that is solely owned by 
NRCan. This policy builds on an earlier initiative 
(http://www.geobase.ca/), which in 2003 provided free access to 
various co-owned federal, provincial and territorial topographic 
data. As well as waiving access fees, NRCan is lifting all cost and 
licence restrictions on the redistribution of the data. This will 
help ensure that accurate and consistent information is available for users.

NRCan has provided the private sector with access to digital 
topographic data since the early 1990s. With the ongoing rapid growth 
of the Internet and the resulting drop in distribution costs, it is 
appropriate to make public information in digital form available 
without any restrictions on its use or redistribution. The data 
collections will be made available through the GeoGratis Web portal 
(geogratis.gc.ca). Users will need to have a geographic information 
system or image analysis system and the graphics applications of 
editing software to view the data.

The no-fee policy helps advance the Government of Canada's commitment 
to the development of knowledge, innovation and productivity in the 
natural resources sectors and elsewhere - giving Canadians the 
advantage to succeed.

Questions:
Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30 EDT
Telephone: 613-995-0947
TTY: 613-996-4397
(teletype for the hearing-
impaired)
E-mail: questions at nrcan.gc.ca
  

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