$1.6M funding for public health projects that access geospatial data

Ottawa, ON – GeoConnections – a federal geographic online service – is providing around $1.6 million to help fund 14 public health-related research projects in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Project partners are contributing another $2.1 million for a total of $3.7 million in funding.

Modern technology allows all types of geospatial data to be shared, merged and mapped online. Previously, only highly skilled geomatics professionals could undertake these activities. Now it can be done from the desktop of health care professionals anywhere.

For example, public health workers can use online tools to create a map enabling them to track and project the spread of zoonotic diseases by combining data about disease outbreaks in wildlife, wildlife habitat and human populations.

The following projects have receiving funding:
(1) Development of Web-based Secure Interface for Sequential Mapping and Spatial Exploration of Surveillance Data. Partner: Public Health Agency of Canada. Funding: $129,100

(2) A Geospatial Application to Report ICES Evidence-Based Disease Surveillance and Population Health Measures. Partner: Institute for Clinical Evaluation Science (ICES), Toronto. Funding: $150,000

(3) A Spatially Enabled Population Health Framework for Disease Surveillance. Partner: BC Ministry of Health Services. Funding: $96,000

(4) Mapping Infectious Disease across the New Brunswick-Maine Border. Partner: New Brunswick Lung Association. Funding: $99,360

(5) A Web Portal to Support Decision-Making for Public Health and Land Planning. Partner: Region of Waterloo. Funding: $141,930

(6) Supporting Zoonotic Disease Surveillance in Canada. Partner: Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence. Funding: $150,000

(7) Online Injury Atlas for Ontario. Partner: St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. Funding: $98,750

(8) Using Real-time Spatial Information to Manage Communicable Diseases. Partner: McGill University, Montreal. Funding: $144,000

(9) National Capital Region Integrated Air Quality Mapping Service. Partner: City of Ottawa. Funding: $149,300

(10) Ontario Health Service Provider Maps. Partner: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Funding: $150,000

(11) Develop Web Applications and Services for Community Health Programs offered in New Brunswick. Partner: New Brunswick Lung Association. Funding: $150,000

(12) Ontario Health and Environment Information System. Partner: Cancer Care Ontario. Funding: $150,000

(13) Shared Strategic and Business Geomatics Plan. Partner: Calgary Health Region. Funding: $15,600

(14) Establishing our GIS Infrastructure Requirements. Partner: Central East Local Health Integration Network, Ajax, Ontario. Funding: $33,000