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Past Award Winners

MApps Award -  Best Challenge Award - Bursaries


Past Winners

Ontario GIS Hall of Fame Award

The GIS Hall of Fame award was established to recognize and honor the most esteemed leaders of the geospatial community. To be considered for the GIS Hall of Fame, an individual’s or an organization’s record of contribution to the advancement of the industry demonstrates creative thinking and actions, vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, perseverance, and community mindedness. Individuals or organizations whose pioneering work has moved the geospatial industry in a better, stronger direction.

2022 - John Bacon

2017 - Sandra Crutcher 

2013 - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (LIO - Land Information Ontario)


GIS Leadership Award

Presented to members who have demonstrated exemplary leadership to Ontario's Geospatial and Information community including creativity, innovation, and dedicated support of programs. The recipient should be a member of BeSpatial Ontario for enough years to show a pattern of leadership. Typically the recipient will have been responsible for new programs or activities, or significantly enhanced an existing activity or program, so that it takes BeSpatial Ontario in a new direction and/or enhances our standing in the professional community.

2022 - Jeff Lamb

2018 - Andrew Lyszkiewicz

2017 - Alex Miller
2016 - Al Little
2012 - Teranet (Andy Mackie)
2011 - Land Information Ontario (Raphael Sussman)
2008 - Sandra Crutcher
2005 - GeoSmart (Derek Landry)

2004 - Susan Chase


John Bacon Exemplary Service Award

An occasional award given for long-term service to BeSpatial Ontario and the profession. This is the ultimate award for service and leadership to BeSpatial Ontario and within the geospatial and Information industry. Awardees will have demonstrated significant contributions to both BeSpatial Ontario and the geospatial technologies industry.  

*Starting in 2023, we will be renaming this award to the John Bacon Exemplary Service award.

2022 - John Bacon

2021 - Catherine Fitzgerald

2021 - Dianne Adams

2019 - John Houweling

2017 - Lou Milrad

2012 - Catherine Baldelli

2011 - Ron Jaros

2008 - Al Little

2005 - Sandra Crutcher

1998 - Jury Konga and Sandra Crutcher

1996 - Sandra Crutcher

Best Public Sector GIS

2022 Gold Award: City of Hamilton

2021 Gold Award: City of Guelph

2020 Gold Award: Town of East Gwillimbury

2019 Gold Award: York Region: YorkInfo Partnership

2018 Gold Award: Town of East Gwillimbury: Use of GIS technology to help visualize, monitor and report on new development.

2017 Gold Award: County of Simcoe

2016 Gold Award: City of Guelph

2015 Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

2014 Gold Award: County of Frontenac

2013 Gold Award (Tie): Cities of Hamilton and Peterborough

2012 Gold Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

2011 Gold Award: Ontario Realty Corporate for Ontario GeoPortal

2010 Gold Award: Municipality of Leamington


Innovation in GIS

2022 Gold Award: Region of Peel

2021 Gold Award: City of Richmond Hill:   Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) tool

2020 Gold Award: City of Kitchener

2019 Gold Award: Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines: Mining Lands Administration System (MLAS)

2018 Gold Award: City of Sault Ste. Marie:   Automation of notification to customers for planned and unplanned water and electric events

2017 Gold Award: Town of Oakville: Integration of GIS and JDE Asset Registry

2016 Gold Award: Ryerson University

2015 Award: Town of Oakville

2014 Gold Award: City of Kitchener

2013 Gold Award: Region of York

2012 Gold Award: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

2011 Gold Award: County of Peterborough for Trip-Click.com

2010 Gold Award: Ministry of Economic Development and Trade 


Best Web GIS

2022 Gold Award: Town of Milton

2021 Gold Award:  Town of East Gwillimbury: Parks and Trails Web Story Map

2020 Gold Award:  City of Richmond Hill

Honorable Mention: City of Vaughan

2019 Gold Award:  City of Hamilton: Child Youth Health Atlas

2018 Gold Award: Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program: Public Mapping Portal

2017 Gold Award: Trent Conservation Coalition: Interactive Map of the TCCR, Find Your Drinking Water System

2016 Gold Award: Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry

2015 Award: Halton Region

2014 Gold Award: Region of Waterloo

2013 Gold Award: Region of York

2012 Gold Award: City of Cornwall

2011 Gold Award: Region of Niagara for Niagara Connect

2010 Gold Award: Town  of Oakville 


People's Choice MApps Award 

2022 Best App: City of Mississauga - eParks Interactive Map Viewer Application Best Map: Shahzaib Saleem - City of Rotterdam Thematic map

2021 Best App:  District of Muskoka - Floodline and LiDAR Mapping  Best Map: Nebyu Woldeyohanes -Debris Flows in the Bow River Valley, between Banff and Lake Louise, using DEMs

2019 Best App: City of Kitchener - Kitchener's Speed Zone Analysis Best Map: Town of Newmarket - Central York Fire Services - 2018 In Review

2018 Best App: Town of Newmarket - Locate My Plow Best Map: City of Kitchener - Growth Management Plan

2017 Best App: City of Kitchener -Kitchener's Citizen Science Project Best Map: Toronto Fire Services - Residential Building Construction Dates

2016 Best App: Town of Newmarket-Playground & Park Improvement Best Map: Ryerson University - 3D Printed Geographies

2015 Best App: Devin Tu - MapYourProperty  Best Map: Region of Halton - Boardroom Map

2014 Best App: City of Windsor - Cultural Mapping Project Best Map: County of Hastings – Limerick Township Historic Map

2013 Best App: City of Vaughan - Vaughan Viewer Best Map: North Hamilton - Child Blood Lead Study

2012 Best App: City of Kitchener - Urban Tree Life Best Map: Town of Newmarket - Trails Map 

Link to MApps (Maps and Apps) Award page


Nathan Adams Student Bursary Award

2022 - Melissa Jade Greco, University of Waterloo

2021 - Xuyang Han, York University

2019 - Devon Kleinjan, Guelph University

2018 - Nebyu Woldeyohanes, Nipissing University

2017 - Kyle Wittmaier, Nipissing University

2016 - Sean Nash, Ryerson University

2015 - Moeen Butt, Western University

2014 - Nafisa Kassam, Fanshawe College

2013 - Matthew Adams, McMaster University 

2012 - Sandra Murillo, Fanshawe College

2011 - Sarah Thompson, University of Waterloo

Link to Nathan Adams Student Bursary Page

Apply for Ontario Geospatial Awards

        Best Challenge Awards

MApps (Maps and Apps) Award

Student Bursary


35 Year Members - Founders Club

Alex Miller, President, Esri Canada; 

Jury Konga, Go Open Data, Executive Director

Lou Milrad, Legal Advisory services

Ron Jaros, Former Region of Peel and 

Sandra Crutcher, BeSpatial Ontario',  Executive Director, former City of Toronto

30 Year Members - Diamond Jubilee Club

Shelley Crosby, City of Oshawa

Raphael Sussman, Raphael Sussman Consulting Services

Jerry Crawford, True North Digital Mapping

       John Houweling, York Region

Andy Mackie, Teranet Inc.

25 Year Members - Silver Jubilee Club

Jason Davis, County of Renfrew

Jaroslaw Losko, Independent

Janet Vittie, GISP, City of Niagara Falls

Garry T. Hunter, Hunter and Associates

Dave Salter, Niagara Region

URISA International Chapter Award

Each year, URISA recognizes an outstanding Chapter that has sponsored particularly effective activities or has otherwise excelled in serving its membership.

 Outstanding Chapter Award criteria include:
• Innovation
• Outreach
• Education
• Community Impact

URISA Ontario has won Chapter of the year, 3 times:

    • URISA International Chapter of the Year 2011 Award
    • URISA International Chapter of the Year 2003 Award
    • URISA International Chapter of the Year 1996 Award

    URISA Ontario Service Awards

    2019 - Dianne Adams (2017-19

    2019 - Jasna Filipovic (2012-19)

    2019 - Jeremy Luymes (2015-19)

    2019 - Scott Barbacki (2017-19)

    2015 - Lena Gomes (2008-15)

    2013 - Susan Port: (2006-2013)
    2013 - Chris Wilkinson: (2006-2013)
    2012 - Dianne Adams: (2008-2012)
    2012 - Melanie Wawryk (2008-2012)
    2001 - Antoni Wisnioski
    2001 - Patrick McDade



    2011 Chapter of the year award

    President Lena Gomes accepting the Chapter of the year award from Cy Smith, 2011 URISA International president. at URISA International's annual general meeting.

    Current & Past Presidents of the Ontario Association

    Peter Hettstedt (Current)

    Susan Muleme Kasumba (Immediate Past President)

    Catherine Fitzgerald

    Al Little

    Lena Gomes

    Catherine Baldelli

    Tim Hu

    Nigel Roberts

    Ron Jaros

    Donna Edwards

    Jury Konga

    Sandra Crutcher

    Lou Milrad

    John Houweling

    George Lysenko


    Past URISA presidents

    About Us

    We are recognized as the premier geospatial and information non-profit organization in Ontario. where members share their experiences through networking and program events for the use and integration of spatial data, information, applications and technologies that provide solutions and solve challenges in both the public and private sectors.


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