Ontario Municipality Recognized for 24 Years of Success with ESRI Technology; Latest GIS Implementation to Improve Asset Management and Ensure Regulatory Compliance

TORONTO – October 6, 2009 – ESRI Canada today presented an Award of Excellence to Oxford County for its history of success in using geographic information system (GIS) technology to improve operations and support strategic goals. Continuing on its commitment to leverage GIS, the County recently embarked on a project that will integrate its ESRI GIS with its financial systems to improve asset management and ensure compliance with new regulations on capital asset accounting. The award was presented at the 2009 ESRI Regional User Conference in Toronto.

Located in Southwestern Ontario, Oxford County has a population of more than 100,000 and is comprised of vast farmland and several thriving agri-business communities. Technology is a key driver of the County’s development strategy. It was one of the first municipalities worldwide to adopt ESRI solutions and has been leveraging GIS in its operations for the past 24 years.

“Oxford County has been very successful at improving communication and operations by connecting municipalities and the public through GIS technology,” said James Wickson, Vice President of Sales and Professional Services, ESRI Canada. “The County is a good example of how municipalities, regardless of size, can leverage GIS to respond effectively and timely to changing needs and further enhance services to its communities.”

Using ESRI software, Oxford County built a Land Related Information System (LRIS) in 1985 to integrate and provide access to information such as property and infrastructure data from various government systems. The system continues to be a valuable tool for the County today. The County has expanded its GIS to support numerous business processes including administering building permits, civic addressing, nutrient management plan registration and emergency preparedness planning. It has also used GIS for creating official plan and zoning bylaws, mapping local businesses for its online directory and conducting groundwater protection studies.

Oxford County will further leverage GIS for Project Matrix, a new asset management strategy that will integrate its ESRI GIS with financial systems to automate processes and meet compliance with PS3150 guidelines on tangible capital asset reporting set by the Public Sector Accounting Board.

Project Matrix will integrate Azteca Systems’ Cityworks asset and maintenance management solution, delivered by ESRI Canada, with Microsoft Dynamics GP for financials, Time Manager for payroll and RIVA software for long-term capital asset planning. Based on ESRI GIS technology, Cityworks is expected to optimize efficiency by automating processes for work orders and service requests related to the County’s infrastructure and assets. It will also enable the County to improve budgeting by tracking all asset management costs including equipment and material for assets under construction.

In integrating its financial and infrastructure information, the County will be able to make operational decisions based on data synchronized across corporate systems and establish a powerful tool for effective asset lifecycle management.

“GIS is an integral part of doing municipal business in Oxford County,” said Lynn Buchner, Director of Corporate Services, Oxford County. “Over the years, our ESRI system has enabled us to better plan and deliver enhanced services to the public. We look forward to further harnessing the power of GIS to continuously enhance our operations and make Oxford County a stronger and better municipality.”

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About Oxford County
Set among rolling hills and farmland, Oxford County offers a mix of rural and urban settings as well as a rapidly expanding business sector that includes Canada's second Toyota plant. The County boasts several heritage sites; a thriving local arts, culture and recreation community; and several park, conservation and natural areas, including 98 kilometres of trails. The County has a population of approximately 102,000 people across eight municipalities that are "growing stronger…together" through an upper tier municipal government incorporated as the County of Oxford. The regional seat for the County of Oxford is in Woodstock. For more information, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca.

About ESRI Canada
Founded in 1984, ESRI Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments, and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography. The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from ESRI, Telvent Miner & Miner, Azteca Systems, and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada. Information about ESRI Canada can be found at www.esricanada.com.

Media contacts:
Joy Chan
PR Specialist
ESRI Canada
+1 (416) 386-6488
Email Contact
www.esricanada.com

Lynn Buchner
Director of Corporate Services
County of Oxford
+1 (519) 539-9800
Email Contact
www.oxfordcounty.ca