Government of Canada Sets WMS as Standard for Geospatial Data Sharing

Canada has recently established a new geospatial standard - designed to help users across all government departments locate, understand, use and share geospatial data. A news release by GeoConnections Canada states:

“The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has established the Standard on Geospatial Data for the Government of Canada. The Standard will facilitate interoperability across institutions and increase their ability to identify, understand, use, and share geospatial data. This standard also allows institutions to maximize the reuse of existing mapping and related products.

The scope of the standard currently comprises two ISO standards: ISO 19115 Geographic information - metadata and ISO 19128 Geographic information - Web Map Server interface [also known as OGC WMS]. Both standards have been previously endorsed by the national GeoConnections program for use in the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI). "

The standard came into effect June 1, 2009 - but departments have until May 31, 2014 to fully implement it.

The WMS-based Standard on Geospatial Data for the Government of Canada is another sign of growing global interest in sharing geospatial data across Web-based service interfaces that aren't controlled by any one organization or group.

- Jeff