The spotlight shone on ESRI Canada at the Ontario Business Achievement Awards (OBAA) as the company received the Innovation Award for 2011. Sponsored by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the OBAA recognizes outstanding businesses in the province that have demonstrated innovation and entrepreneurship. Out of hundreds of nominations, ESRI Canada was selected for advancing the use of geographic information system (GIS) technology. The award was presented at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on September 26 in the presence of more than 500 members of Ontario’s business community.
“Our success is deeply rooted in innovation,” says Alex Miller, president and founder, ESRI Canada. “When GIS was invented in Canada in the ‘60s, the technology was used primarily to manage land and natural resources. Over the last three decades, we’ve taken GIS and harnessed its power to integrate and analyze information using digital maps so that all industries can benefit from the technology. Our solutions allow people to look at the world and its challenges in a more insightful way, and help them make the best decisions. This award is testament to our employees’ creativity and focus in helping our customers find new ways of applying geographic analysis to solve problems.”
ESRI Canada serves more than 10,000 organizations in numerous industries across the country. Governments at all levels use the company’s solutions to become more transparent and effective. They use GIS to open data to the public and engage citizens; better manage infrastructure to reduce costs; track diseases and improve health care; adopt intelligence-led policing and enhance public safety; and organize community assets to attract investment.
Businesses use ESRI solutions to determine the best locations for new sites, target the most profitable markets for their products and services, and manage their operations efficiently. Utilities use the technology to quickly locate power outages, manage environmentally sustainable operations and enable the smart grid. Schools – from K-12 to universities and colleges – leverage ESRI solutions to enhance education through interactive learning, and develop critical thinking and analysis skills among students.
“The Ontario Business Achievement Awards celebrate innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of business in Ontario,” says Len Crispino, president & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “Companies like ESRI Canada embody innovation, and shining the spotlight on them demonstrates the depth and breadth of Ontario’s business community.”
For more information on ESRI Canada’s solutions, visit esricanada.com.
