Changing demands for geomatics data and information as well as changing technology have generated both the need and the opportunity for federal, provincial and territorial government agencies responsible for geomatics to co-operate in geomatics initiatives as a vital component of the infrastructure of Canada's information economy.

The need for a Canadian Geomatics Accord (hereinafter called the "Accord"), under the auspices of the Canadian Council on Geomatics (CCOG), was identified to record the interest, the will and the commitment of federal, provincial and territorial governments and Crown corporations to co-operate in geomatics initiatives of mutual interest. Co-operation in geomatics may include, but is not restricted to:

• the establishment of a Canadian geospatial data infrastructure (CGDI);
• data and information production, integration, and sharing;
• data distribution and licensing;
• standards and specifications;
• technical and policy research; and
• applications development.

The Accord recognizes that the federal and provincial/territorial governments each deliver geomatics programs to assist in the administration of land and resources within their jurisdictions. Each of these governments has respective responsibility to generate geomatics data and/or use geomatics information to deliver its programs and services.

The purpose of the Accord is to create a framework to allow federal, provincial and territorial government agencies to collaborate and provide support for geomatics initiatives; and focus their efforts on more efficient geomatics data collection, distribution, and maintenance.

BENEFITS

The intent of the Accord is to provide a framework to obtain benefits from:

• co-operation that facilitates access and distribution of geomatics information to a broad array of users in Canada;
  
• the creation of opportunities to reduce maintenance costs through the development of common frameworks for geomatics information;
  
• utilization of national and international standards to gain cost efficiencies through greater integration of geomatics data ;
  
• the creation of cost-efficient federal, provincial and territorial arrangements for geomatics data collection and management; and
  
• common policy frameworks for data access and licensing.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Government of Canada is generally responsible for:

• national leadership and co-ordination with international agencies;
  
• co-ordination of activities among federal agencies;
  
• provision and maintenance, directly or indirectly, of national databases;
  
• distribution of products generated from national-scale databases; and
  
• provision of a network that facilitates the discovery of and access to federal geomatics data and information, and links to similar provincial and territorial networks.

The provincial and territorial governments are generally responsible for:

• provincial/territorial leadership and co-ordination among provincial/territorial agencies;
  
• liaison/co-ordination with local government agencies;
  
• provision and maintenance, directly or indirectly, of provincial/territorial databases; and
  
• distribution of products generated from provincial/territorial databases.

The federal government and each provincial and territorial government will
identify a lead agency within their government to serve as the key point of contact for geomatics activities. Additional agencies from the federal, provincial and territorial governments may also be invited to become signatories to this Accord.

GOVERNANCE

The Canadian Council on Geomatics (CCOG) (hereinafter called the "Council") will be responsible for the administration and co-ordination of activities conducted under this Accord.

The Council will be administered as stated in the "Canadian Council on Geomatics (CCOG) Terms of Reference" with administrative resources provided by Natural Resources Canada.

Signatories of this Accord are documenting their intent to co-operate in mutually beneficial geomatics initiatives. Bilateral or multilateral agreements reflecting the principles of the Accord will be developed for specific projects. These agreements may be signed by Deputy or Assistant Deputy Ministers from signatory organizations as defined in the specific agreements. Agreements should be tabled with the Council for information and, if the parties to them so request, for attachment to this Accord as appendices.

This Accord does not create legally binding obligations between the signatories, but represents their desire to co-operate and to exchange data and information for the common good.

This Accord may be amended by mutual consent, and a signatory may withdraw from it by providing written notice to the other signatories.

PRINCIPLES OF CO-OPERATION

Data should be collected only once, closest to the source and in the most efficient way possible.

Data should be integrated both horizontally and vertically across jurisdictions, to reduce duplication of effort and to promote the concept of "collect data once - use many times."

INFORMATION EXCHANGE

The signatories to this Accord wish to avoid duplication of effort and maximize co-operation in carrying out geomatics activities.

In promoting efficiencies and to increase the integration of geomatics data and information, the signatories to this Accord will contact each other to provide information on major geomatics activities to determine whether:

• acceptable and appropriate data already exist that can be acquired in a cost-effective manner to populate databases; and
  
• there is mutual interest in working with other organizations to cost share data capture or maintenance.

DURATION

The Accord comes into effect with the signing of this document by the respective minister and will expire on December 31, 2006. It may be renewed for additional terms as approved in writing by the signatories.