Geographic Information in the 2022-2023 Quebec Budget: Towards a Government Center of Expertise at the MERN

Translated from the original post in French: “Information géographique dans le Budget du Québec de 2022-2023: Vers un pôle d’expertise gouvernemental au MERN”.

Geographic information is briefly discussed in the 2022-2023 Quebec Budget. On pages 39-40, it announces the creation of a government center of expertise in government geospatial information, entrusted to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MERN)

Link to the “2022-2023 EXPENDITURE BUDGET” page leading to the original document.

Page 39:

PROGRAM REVIEW AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TO SUPPORT PERFORMANCE AND TRANSFORM ADMINISTRATION

Priority Government Overhaul Projects::

Page 40:

Establishment of a government center of expertise in geospatial information (Department of Energy and Natural Resources)

Increased access to all government geospatial data for the various departments and agencies.

Pooling of dissemination activities so as to offer simplified, integrated and quality services, both at the government level and for citizens and businesses.

A diagnosis carried out on the management of geospatial information in Quebec notably revealed that the current governance has reached its performance limits. Geospatial information comes from multiple sources, available through different platforms, so the management of geospatial information leads to a lack of complementarity in the initiatives of departments and agencies. The government is evaluating the possibility of reviewing and strengthening governance as well as optimizing activities for the acquisition, production, dissemination and development of government geospatial data.