At Membertou Geomatics Consultants (MGC), we offer a full range of geomatics services to help turn data into visual representations – images that can provide a clear view of what’s really going on.

Our experienced consultants and technicians offer expertise and professional customer care through every step of the process, from needs assessment through final product delivery and analysis.

Bring some perspective to your decision-making. Contact us to see how our geomatics services can help.

Membertou Geomatics Consultants
1969 Upper Water St. Suite 1703
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J-3R7
Tel: (902) 429-5445
Fax: (902) 429-5461

MGC Primary Services
First Nation Geographic Information System (GIS) Consulting Services
First Nations are among the sectors most interested in GIS due to the empowerment that accessing information and analysis of one’s own traditional land provides. However, implementation of a GIS system and building a supporting database can be an expensive and daunting task without the benefit of experience and best practices of other First Nations.

As an aboriginal company, MGC can assist in the design, development, implementation and consultation of GIS to assist aboriginal communities as well as government, public and private sectors. The various applications of GIS can address economic, environmental and cultural issues of a community. The system can also assist in delivery of services from emergency health care to street repair to market analysis trends for community businesses.

For example, a community focused on sustainable development may be considering the impact of a recreational facility. Information from GIS can assist in all three areas of decision-making.

Economic

• Ensure efficient use of community resources and funds
• Investigate possible income-generating facilities
• Determine the need for a resource for the community

Environmental

• Plan for responsible use of available land
• Design for low impact on the environment
• Visualize to ensure aesthetically acceptable options

Cultural

• Determine the need for a community resource
• Examine potential recreational participation
• Choose most suitable location for a community gathering point

This is just one example of the many ways that GIS services can help communities make informed decisions.

Remote Sensing / Photogrammetry
MGC’s key data capturing technique is photogrammetry, which combines elements of math, geometry, photography and physics. This approach combines images to create clear visualizations of existing conditions or proposed developments. Data from photogrammetry has many benefits over traditional visual tools such as provincial or municipal maps. Where existing maps are dictated by old information, photogrammetry provides the ability to use current information that is customized to the client project. The maps and other visual aids created from photogrammetry are highly accurate, detailed and scalable.

With this type of information, photogrammetry provides a view of the area in its current situation, with images that are up to date and relevant to your project.

A fast, cost-effective and efficient imaging tool, photogrammetry can provide details such as topographical features and digital elevation models (DEM) that can ensure an accurate depiction of a geographical area, and can aid in developmental planning.

As coverage areas increase in size, satellite imagery becomes a more economical means of data capture. MGC has current capabilities to utilize full spectrum and panchromatic imagery which is sufficient for most GIS and mapping purposes. Specialized software is used for more advanced satellite image processing such as vegetation and land use detection and analysis.

MGC will soon be offering services in Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology. As part of a research collaboration between MGC and the Nova Scotia Community College, MGC will be researching the new remote sensing techniques to acquire high-resolution terrain models. LIDAR will be acquired, processed and integrated into a GIS. This type of elevation data can be used for many different municipal applications including identifying areas at risk to flooding of which is a concern for many aboriginal communities.

Decision Support
MGC now offers Decision Support services to aboriginal communities, government, public and private sectors. MGC will plan, develop and deploy a Community GIS (CGIS) system to assist aboriginal communities and municipalities in decision making.

The CGIS is developed and maintained by MGC and the client community and it will be sold as a service and not a product. This allows the aboriginal or client community to be able to access community data and analysis tools via web browser. This format of hosting and accessing community data and analysis tools provides greater accessibility to managers and staff with only minimal knowledge of GIS required. Login passwords and access privileges will provide security and confidentiality of each manager’s database and general access privileges can provide the community access to selected databases.

Project Management
MGC offers project management services for GIS projects and depending on the scope of the project, MGC partners with outside companies as required. This strategy of partnerships will provide access to both large and small projects. MGC will specifically focus on initial project management opportunities within the aboriginal communities.

Membertou is developing very fast and MGC focused its initial project management services on some of the many infrastructure projects within Membertou. The benefits of MGC’s project management services within Membertou are in the experience and knowledge that MGC obtained during developing the community plan, including all current and future development, for Membertou. This gives MGC indepth knowledge of Membertou’s plans and concerns of the community regarding development.

Mi’kmaq Ecological Knowledge Studies (MEKS or TEKS)
The Aboriginal community have a long-existing, unique and special relationship with the land and its’ resources which involves exploitation and conservation of natural resources and spiritual ideologies as well. This knowledge is held by Aboriginal individuals and has been passed on from generation to generation; kisaku kinutemuatel mijuijij (Mi’kmaq).

Mi’kmaq Ecological Knowledge Studies gather and document the collective body of ecological knowledge which is held by the Aboriginal people. This study will normally accompany an Environmental Assessment or Impact Statement.

The MEKS will provide assurances that the Aboriginal use and knowledge of the area in question and its’ resources are considered within the overall environmental presentation and as well, will further ensure that the Environmental Assessment required is thorough.

Other Geomatics Services
-  Data Capture and Conversion
-  GPS field surveys
-  Mapping
-  Planning
-  Site Selection Studies
-  Land use Analysis/Studies
-  Road and Highway Design Projects
-  Demographic/Market Analysis
-  3D Modeling\Visualization