“The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre’s (SSMIC) story is one of unparalleled civic cooperation and partnership, and is a model of accomplishment upon which other municipalities are basing their strategies. SSMIC is comprised of over 60 community partners (municipal government, utilities, health, social services, education, emergency response and economic development agencies) and thousands of data layers that support, amongst other things, community planning, development and investment decisions.”
- Alex Miller, President and Founder of ESRI Canada
A MODEL OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
Acorn Information Solutions (formerly known as the Community Geomatics Centre) has been declared to be most comprehensive GIS solution in the world, the first true information utility and the best example of leveraging public data for public good in North America.
In 2015, Acorn Information Solutions (AIS) became the only five-time winner of URISA’s Best Municipal GIS in Ontario award.
The Urban Institute of Canada stated it is the first real “Information Utility” of its kind as early as 2006; it’s been listed as the best example of leveraging public data for public good; ESRI Canada has stated that SSMIC is the first to create a holistic approach to community GIS and is leading the world in health geomatics; and U.S. Homeland Security has referred to CGC as the ultimate information utility model to strive for.
NATIONAL AWARDSESRI Inc.
ESRI Canada
PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL AWARDS
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INDUSTRY ACCOLADES
“The CGC has compiled one of the most comprehensive and intelligent utilities infrastructure databases in the world.”
“The CGC has compiled one of the world’s most complex and comprehensive GIS systems.”
“The closest ‘pure’ Community Information Utility (CIU) model that the Consultant Team was able to find in an extensive benchmarking and literature review process was the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre development.”
"The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre is considered to be the definitive model of the CIU in Canada. With a history of more than a decade in operating this innovative Centre, Mr. Beach is considered to be an expert in the field and because of the leadership that he has shown in developing the CIU concept, he has become a noted authority on their development.”
“The SSM CIU is, without question, the most advanced organization of its type in Canada.”
“Over the past decade, the SSM CIU has been leading the country in respect to the novel application of the use of spatial data with advances in transportation management, natural and resource management, economic development, municipal governance and management, but, also, for the purpose of improving health and social services.”