Dear GANS Members,

Since our last newsletter, GANS has undergone a few changes, including administrative and functional (involving recent and upcoming events). We are excited to share these updates with you, as well as recap some past events, and announce upcoming engagements!

Enjoy!

Administrative Updates

In terms of role changes, GANS' Communications Coordinator - Harrison Ellis - recently moved on and a new Coordinator, Laura Olsen, joined the team in September.

A note from the GANS Treasurer:

Since our inception in 1986, GANS has changed with the times and adopted new methods to manage our financial obligations; many of you use our online WildApricot & AffiniPay systems to register for membership and events; our newsletters use a MailChimp e-mail system. In the past year, we realized that the old bank account we had just couldn’t afford us the full capabilities of modern, online banking. As of June 2019, we've modernized our banking!

So, over the past six months, we’ve been switching to a new account with the Royal Bank of Canada that allows e-transfers, reduces costs, and better manages our accounts and to QuickBooks (online). It’s taken longer than expected, though; as volunteers, it can take some time to get signatures and improve workflows, etc. The switch is almost done, and that'll allow us to spend efforts on day-to-day aspects of our financials. We have a small working group comprised of Murrium and Jon (Board Reps), Bridget (Financial Co-ordinator), and myself (Treasurer) guiding our energies & time. And, if you’re wondering, we are in good financial health. Thanks for your support!

Regards, 
Dave MacLean

Event Recap

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Georges Island tour with Parks Canada in August! The tour sold out quickly, and we will keep everyone posted on the next one that is organized. Check out the video that Smarter Spaces captured from the tour!

We also recently attended the GoGeomatics Back-to-School Social at the NSCC Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown, NS on October 4th. Thank you for everyone who took part in the networking, wonderful discussions and snack-sharing!

Upcoming Events

• Esri Canada User Conference (Halifax) - November 5 & 6
• GIS Day 2019 - November 13
• A GANS Professional Days Series event, Smart Cities & Communities: A Spatial Approach to Efficiency - November 26
• GANS Holiday Social (after the Professional Days event - more details to be announced later) - November 26

Smart Cities & Communities: A Spatial Approach to Efficiency

GANS is hosting an all-day professional development seminar titled, Smart Cities & Communities: A Spatial Approach to Efficiency!

When: Tuesday, November 26, 2019 from 9:30am to 4:00pm
Where: Halifax Central Library, Spring Garden Road, Halifax (Room 301)
 
In this seminar, professionals will share their experiences with solving work dilemmas through a spatial approach. You will have the opportunity to discuss how organizations in different areas, private or public, for-profit or non-profit, are using smart technologies to improve efficiency from a geospatial perspective. You will learn how cities and communities in the Maritimes are currently adopting and planning to adopt smart technologies via the Internet of Things (IoT) and spatial systems such as GPS receivers and GIS networks. By the end of the day, you will know more about the impact that spatial systems have on the efficiency of your community!

Note: in an attempt to keep the registration fee as low as possible, lunch will not be provided (though there are many terrific pubs and eateries within easy walking distance of the library!).  
 
Feel free to contact us by email at [email protected] 

P.S. We are still in need of speakers for the event, so please let us know if you are interested and spread the word to your colleagues and friends!
                 

GIS Day 2019

As a way of celebrating this special day of recognition, GANS Treasurer - Dave MacLean - has registered an event at the NSCC Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown on November 13th.

This event will showcase various geospatial technologies and their capabilities, stimulate discussions on the current developments in the geomatics sector, and spread awareness about GIS day to the public. 

There will also be cake! For more information on GIS day, go here. 

Stay tuned in on our website and social media for more updates!

Sponsor Spotlight: Turner Drake & Partners Ltd.

Contributed by Alexandra Baird Allen of Turner Drake & Partners Ltd.

"Turner Drake was founded in 1976 to provide real estate services to the business community in Atlantic Canada.  In 1998 we expanded our service area to include Ontario, to meet the demands of clients owning property there as well; we have also undertaken assignments from coast to coast.  Through our various affiliations we can offer valuation services throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Our team approach ensures that we are uniquely equipped to provide professional assistance in the fields of valuation and appraisal; property tax; counselling (expropriation, feasibility studies, portfolio and asset analysis); Lasercad® space measurement; economic intelligence (market surveys, site selection, trade area analysis, supply and demand analysis); planning; and brokerage (sales and leasing)." 

Read more here.

Become a Sponsor

When you become a Geomatics Atlantic Sponsor you are not only benefiting your own organization, but you are also helping the Nova Scotia geospatial community. Go to our Sponsors page to learn more about how you can become a sponsor and what your benefits as a sponsor will be!

Women in Geomatics Spotlight: Sarah Dunnewold

Sarah works for the Province of Nova Scotia at the Geomatics Centre as a GIS Administrator. 

"I worked at numerous places where I was able to use GIS for different purposes which expanded my knowledge and thought processes.   I like to create, so in my personal time I mix cartography with craft and I make rugs using of special places using open-source software and open data."

Read about Sarah here.

Geographic Education Posters: 
Be Our Next Contributor!

Did you go to high school in Nova Scotia and are now working in the geomatics sector? We want you to be part of our educational posters! 

The GANS Geographic Education Posters are created to help young people identify some of the endless possibilities that learning geography provides, by highlighting the various different geography related post-secondary education programs and geospatial related career opportunities available. All the geomatics related professionals featured here are graduates from various Nova Scotia high schools and have followed a variety of post-secondary paths, including both colleges and universities, to get where they are today. Geography Matters! 

The custom designed posters are professionally printed and sent to the corresponding high school that the featured professional graduated from. We believe that this initiative helps promote both high school geography and our industry, ultimately resulting in more students pursuing geospatial studies and careers after they leave high school. It also provides more knowledge to the teachers, parents, and the general public about what our industry does, and how we provide services and knowledge that they depend upon every day. 

Find out more on our Geographic Education and Geospatial Related Careers page.

GANS Membership Renewal

Remember to renew your GANS membership if you haven't already!