History
In the late 1970’s and through the 1980’s, organizations that depend on spatial data, lead by government agencies, forestry companies and large electrical and telephone utilities, piggybacking on industrial advances in CAD/CAM (computer aided drafting and manufacturing) moved their spatial data requirements from hardcopy maps and tabular databases into early GIS systems. In the utility field the term AM/FM (Automated Mapping/Facilities Management) was born and was supported on mainframe computer systems which, at the time, were called midi computers. These were big and expensive systems, only affordable by large organizations. In the late 1980’s BC Hydro converted to such a mainframe system with a budget of $34M. The final conversion project was completed under contract by two consortia, one of which was headquartered at Vernon and subcontracted a portion of the work to the CAD department of Kilborn Engineering, the birthplace of CanMap Systems.
In the early 1990’s, an innovative add-on package to AutoCAD made PC desktop mapping a possibility and CanMap, now a separate company, in conjunction with a medium-sized Washington state electric utility started the development of a full-fledged AM/FM system based on that platform. The utility had a need for an automated system to contain costs associated with facilities management and map maintenance and had prices for conventional systems quoted at $5M. The ultimate system delivered by CanMap based on the AutoCAD, desktop system was practical and delivered equivalent benefits or better than the conventional systems and included all data conversion.
CanMap established an office in Vernon, BC to take advantage of a labor pool left over by the BC Hydro data conversion project. CanMap was able to draw from a skilled, trained pool of about 50 graphics operators, technicians and quality control personnel. Through high-speed data communications and Internet delivery mechanisms, CanMap support eliminates the distance to its geographically diverse customer base. In addition, a marketing and R&D center is maintained in Vancouver, BC.
Over the next ten years, CanMap went on to diversify, refine and further develop its utility specific software in conjunction with small to medium sized utilities in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii and Alberta. CanMap is currently expanding its presence in North America and overseas in Asia. Each utility contributed to the CanMap experience base and the diversification of the software. CanMap has gained a reputation as one of the few experts in the area of such systems and system applications.
In parallel to the developments in utilities, CanMap obtained contracts in mapping and mapping systems in governments, resource industry and municipalities to round out its experience in GIS.
In the late 1970’s and through the 1980’s, organizations that depend on spatial data, lead by government agencies, forestry companies and large electrical and telephone utilities, piggybacking on industrial advances in CAD/CAM (computer aided drafting and manufacturing) moved their spatial data requirements from hardcopy maps and tabular databases into early GIS systems. In the utility field the term AM/FM (Automated Mapping/Facilities Management) was born and was supported on mainframe computer systems which, at the time, were called midi computers. These were big and expensive systems, only affordable by large organizations. In the late 1980’s BC Hydro converted to such a mainframe system with a budget of $34M. The final conversion project was completed under contract by two consortia, one of which was headquartered at Vernon and subcontracted a portion of the work to the CAD department of Kilborn Engineering, the birthplace of CanMap Systems.
In the early 1990’s, an innovative add-on package to AutoCAD made PC desktop mapping a possibility and CanMap, now a separate company, in conjunction with a medium-sized Washington state electric utility started the development of a full-fledged AM/FM system based on that platform. The utility had a need for an automated system to contain costs associated with facilities management and map maintenance and had prices for conventional systems quoted at $5M. The ultimate system delivered by CanMap based on the AutoCAD, desktop system was practical and delivered equivalent benefits or better than the conventional systems and included all data conversion.
CanMap established an office in Vernon, BC to take advantage of a labor pool left over by the BC Hydro data conversion project. CanMap was able to draw from a skilled, trained pool of about 50 graphics operators, technicians and quality control
personnel. Through high-speed data communications and Internet delivery mechanisms, CanMap support eliminates the distance to its geographically diverse customer base. In addition, a marketing and R&D center is maintained in Vancouver, BC.
Over the next ten years, CanMap went on to diversify, refine and further develop its utility specific software in conjunction with small to medium sized utilities in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii and Alberta. CanMap is currently expanding its presence in North America and overseas in Asia. Each utility contributed to the CanMap experience base and the diversification of the software. CanMap has gained a reputation as one of the few experts in the area of such systems and system applications. In parallel to the developments in utilities, CanMap obtained contracts in mapping and mapping systems in governments, resource industry and municipalities to round out its experience in GIS.