Promoting your resources

Once you have created your metadata, you can use it to promote your geospatial resources within the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure with one or more discovery mechanisms.

In a data infrastructure like the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, a discovery mechanism is an online service that brings together suppliers (those providing resources) and users (those using the resources). Discovery mechanisms allow users to discover, evaluate and access resources. Discovery mechanisms fall into different categories.

Provincial. The Canadian Geomatics Accord was created in an effort to record the interest, will and commitment of federal, provincial and territorial governments and Crown corporations to cooperate in geomatics initiatives of mutual interest. Provinces are contributing at different levels toward the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure.

Thematic. Thematic discovery mechanisms are based on a topic of interest such as ecology, forestry, geology, etc. They are usually coordinated by several organizations, at the federal, provincial, municipal and commercial level.

National. Canada’s national discovery mechanism is the GeoConnections Discovery Portal (http://geodiscover.cgdi.ca). The GeoConnections Discovery Portal is both a dedicated geospatial search engine and a discovery mechanism for the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure. It allows users to find, evaluate and access resources within the CGDI.

Choose the discovery mechanism(s) best covering your subject area. Discovery mechanisms continue to join the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure on a regular basis.