Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008 - (Page 15)

“I think one of the main reasons why this area has embraced the technology is that we’re lucky enough to have a lot of people with some forethought and some understanding of the technology and the benefits that it would provide to them in the future,” says Morrison. “They have the vision to see what the advantages could be, but also to keep it going. A lot of municipalities start something like this, but it loses its energy because they don’t see the full benefits of what it can bring them.” of staffing between them all, and that’s also a bonus.” In short, “Successful GIS implementations in Northern Ontario are the ones that are hosted locally and that really take advantage of the pool of resources in their region,” Croisier sums up. He mentions Townships of Archipelago (Parry Sound) and Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre as two other projects that are successful for the same reasons. “We’re not limited to the members that we have now,” says Morrison. “We really want to grow and invite all the smaller communities of the North to participate, even communities who are thinking of doing the same thing, but are not sure of how to go about it.” “I think the main point is this: here’s a type of technology that this small municipality has used to make a difference for itself and also for the larger municipality,” says Wray. “With a little partnership, you can actually make a difference. We really want to show people that’s possible, and we think we’ve done that.” ◆ Now that the foundation has been laid, the system can be used to store almost any conceivable new type of information. Croisier points out that some northern communities rely on technical expertise in Southern Ontario. In these cases, he says, “They don’t have the local resources to support it and they don’t maximize the potential of GIS. If you make it local, with the partnerships in mind, you can really maximize the power of GIS while working through it together and working together as a group. In the case of Wawa, they’re within an hour’s drive of all the partners, whereas when you’re from Toronto, you have to drive for five or six hours to get there,” he adds. REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL & CONSULTING AACI and CRA Designated Appraisers combine their knowledge, analytical skills, experience and integrity to deliver an independent and professional opinion you can trust. Cost Reduction “These smaller communities would otherwise probably not have even considered having this level of technology, just because of the cost and the work involved. Now that it’s been put in place, the municipalities are starting to see a reduction in costs,” says Morrison. “Before, if they wanted to get information for any study, they would have had to hire a consultant to do it, but now a lot of the information can be had at the click of a button. And instead of each municipality having to hire a person, they can share the cost May/June 2008 • Lending • Legal Disputes • Investment Decisions • Damage Claims • Asset Review • Expropriations • Matrimonial Disputes • Tax Assessments • Reserve Fund Studies • Estate Planning • Expert Witness Implementing PSAB’s New Standards? A key component of Tangible Capital Assets is real property – buildings and land. Appraisal consulting and valuation can help you in your preparations to meet the new standards. To locate an appraiser for your specific needs, call us or visit www.aicanada.ca/e/findappraiser_find.cfm Ontario Association of the Appraisal Institute of Canada Tel 416-695-9333 • 1-888-303-2574 E-mail: info@oaaic.on.ca www.oaaic.on.ca PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS • TRUSTED VALUES municipal MONITOR ·5:52:08 PM 1/15/08 15 362879_Appraisal.indd 1

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008

Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008 Contents President's Message: On Messages and Milestones Viewpoint: Much Ado About Nothing? Again Mapping the North: Municipalities Team Up to Create Sophisticated Geographic Information System The Clean Water Act: Let's Make it Perfectly Clear Developing Trend: Communication is Essential During Large-Scale Projects Water Under the Bridge Municpal Memos Index to Advertisers

Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008

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