Land Information Data Subscription Service
When Land Information Ontario (LIO) was created by the Ontario Government, part of its assigned mandate was to promote and simplify the exchange of geospatial data between organizations who share common business objectives and have a desire to share such information with each other.
The introduction of the Land Information Data Subscription Service (LIDS) by the Ontario Government signals LIO's readiness to meet that objective.
Partners
This innovative application was developed jointly by the Ontario Government and ESRI Canada Limited, and partially funded by GeoConnections through its program.
Objectives
Essentially a utility application, LIDS builds on LIO's previously developed Ontario Land Information Warehouse (OLIW) facility and associated technology to provide members of accredited data-sharing alliances with the capability to remotely identify and borrow geodata from fellow members using the Internet.
More specifically, LIDS was designed to:
- Verify the authenticity of requests for transfer of complex geospatial data,
- Extract and deliver selected data from the Ontario Land Information Warehouse on request,
- Support the secure electronic transfer of that data,
- Manage subscription requests for updates to previously extracted geodata,
- Support the sharing of geodata on an on-going basis and,
- Provide for data discovery through the GeoConnections Discovery Portal and the Ontario Land Information Directory.
The introduction of LIDS represents a significant advance in Ontario's efforts to simplify the discovery, extraction and ongoing maintenance of its geospatial data assets. The advantages of LIDS has already spawned the formation of Ontario's first geospatial data-sharing "alliance", the Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE).
Benefits to Canadians
Broad-based mutually administered data-sharing "alliances" like OGDE have many benefits, including:
- Reduction of administrative overhead,
- Simplification and streamlining of access to externally produced geodata,
- Drastic reduction of duplicate data collection and maintenance,
- Increased awareness of available geodata,
- Support for the development and adoption of spatial data standards, and
- Enabling members to benefit from the efficiencies and economic opportunities which geographic information systems can introduce.
From a national perspective, the development of LIDS supports the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and its five initiatives, as follows:
Access to Data:
The introduction of LIDS will spur the creation of descriptions for each data set contained in the Ontario Land Information Warehouse. That metadata will be published in the Ontario Land Information Directory and linked to the LIDS web site.
Framework Data:
The Ontario Land Information Warehouse contains comprehensive geospatial data for the province of Ontario, including the core data essential to CGDI. LIDS will dramatically improve discovery of, and access to these data.
Geospatial Standards:
The number of private and public sector entities using the the Ontario Land Information Warehouse is expected to expand significantly as a result of the introduction of LIDS. Routine exposure to high-quality base geodata, collected and maintained in accordance with common standards, will promote the widespread adoption, integration, and use of common data standards.
Partnerships:
The LIDS system can only be used by data sharing "alliances" which have been accredited by the Province of Ontario. This restriction will encourage organizations who share common business objectives to partner with each other to share common geodata.
Supportive Policy Environment:
LIDS will allow the Ontario Government to make a wealth of land information available on-line, at little or no cost, through streamlined access procedures.
Contact Us
To learn more about Ontario's Land Information Data Subscription Service, the Ontario Land Information Warehouse or the Ontario Land Information Directory we invite you to check out the Land Information Ontario web site at www.lio.gov.on.ca, or give us a call at (416) 314-3414.
Comments, feedback and general inquiries to: lio@webmail.mnr.gov.on.ca.
Copyright Information: © Queen's
Printer for Ontario
Last Modified: October 16, 2001