Data Integration and…

Data Integration and Boundary Precision
To the Public Input Coordinator,
I am writing to provide feedback on the proposed regional consolidation boundaries from a geospatial data perspective.
While aligning authorities with major watershed boundaries is scientifically sound, the technical transition presents significant risks that the proposal does not address. Merging 36 authorities into 7 regions will require the integration of disparate GIS schemas, coordinate systems, and data standards.
My recommendations/questions include:
1. Data Integrity: How will the Province ensure that high-resolution local datasets (e.g., LiDAR-derived floodplains, local wetland mapping) are not lost or generalized when merged into a regional dataset?
2. Transitional Support: The proposal mentions "better tools" for staff. This must include significant funding for GIS migration to ensure accurate permit mapping is available on day one of the new regional authorities.
3. Boundary Precision: Please clarify if the new regional boundaries will strictly follow tertiary watershed divides or if they will be snapped to municipal lot lines for administrative ease. For accurate flood modeling, hydrological boundaries must take precedence over administrative ones.