Following the success of the Open Cities Index, the first benchmarking program of its kind for municipal open data programs, PSD launched Canada’s first ever Geospatial Maturity Index (GMI) – a survey designed to benchmark the maturity of an organization’s GIS (geographic information system) program. The GIS program employed by today’s public sector organization looks quite different from the traditional “map-making” department that perhaps once existed in these organizations. GIS practitioners are skilled geospatial technicians, using location data to enhance decision-making capabilities, corporate communications, analysis, government transparency, and much more.

In preparation to launch the GMI, PSD met with GIS practitioners and GIS organizations from across Canada to discuss the nuances of GIS terminology and the implications of potential survey questions. After hosting a national virtual round table session to gather further feedback, the 2018 GMI survey was finalized and disseminated to public sector organizations across the country this spring.

With 146 Canadian organizations completing the inaugural survey, it is with great enthusiasm that PSD announces that the City of Calgary has achieved the highest GMI ranking for 2018.