A Leading Canadian Environmental and Engineering Consulting Firm Supports Environmental Assessments with Altalis Geospatial Data

A leading Canadian environmental and engineering consulting firm provides integrated services that balance environmental responsibility with economic development. Geospatial data is fundamental to their operations, supporting environmental impact assessments, infrastructure development, and land management. To enhance efficiency, data accuracy, and decision-making, this firm partnered with Altalis to streamline geospatial data acquisition and integration into their workflows.

Challenges

Overcoming Land Acquisition and Regulatory Roadblocks

These challenges affected project efficiency, data reliability, and the ability to support internal teams and clients effectively:

Manual Data Acquisition

Retrieving data from multiple government portals was time-consuming and inefficient, delaying project timelines.

Lack of Data Automation

Regularly updated environmental and infrastructure datasets required manual processing, leading to inefficiencies and potential data inconsistencies.

Data Accessibility Issues

Integrating and accessing data from various external sources was complex, hindering smooth project execution.

Limited Data Knowledge from Providers

Some third-party providers lacked deep knowledge of their datasets, making it difficult for the firm to interpret and apply the data effectively.

"Altalis provides everything in one place—LiDAR, Cadastral, Base Features—which is crucial for our environmental assessments. Having that level of integration makes our job much easier."

Senior GIS Analyst & Technical Coordinator

Canadian Environmental Consulting & Engineering Firm

Solutions

Altalis addressed these challenges by providing the firm with a comprehensive suite of geospatial data products and automation tools:

Base Features

A highly accurate dataset served as a foundation layer for integrating and analyzing other geospatial data. It provides spatial context to understand the location of key environmental features and infrastructure and is important for site assessments, environmental impact evaluations, and project planning.

Cadastral Mapping

This dataset has been essential to the firm's project success. It enabled accurate site assessments, facility siting, and land ownership and zoning regulations compliance. By defining precise survey boundaries, this data helps mitigate risks, avoid encroachment issues, and support conservation efforts by identifying specific land parcels for biodiversity protection.

LiDAR15 DEM & LiDAR 7.5 DEM

This terrain data enhanced environmental assessments and risk management processes by creating detailed elevation models. These models provide precise terrain information, enabling accurate floodplain mapping and assessment of flood risks. Additionally, LiDAR-derived elevation models support slope stability assessments, helping identify potential landslides or erosion hazards. This comprehensive terrain analysis contributes to better project planning and informed decision-making, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.

Dispositions (DIDs+)

This data supported various aspects of their environmental and engineering projects. They have used this data to create pre-disturbance layers for construction projects, facilitating environmental impact assessments and landowner relations. Additionally, DIDs+ data helps them understand land use and ownership patterns, which are vital for wildlife habitat assessments, conservation planning, and overall project planning.

API Access for Automation

Altalis' API (Application Programming Interface) access for subscription products enabled the firm to automate data acquisition and updates, significantly improving efficiency and data currency.

Knowledgeable Support

Altalis’ team provided in-depth product knowledge and responsive support, ensuring the firm could effectively leverage the data for their projects.

"Before Altalis, pulling data manually from different portals was time-consuming and frustrating. Now, with API access, we get automated updates and can integrate everything seamlessly."

Senior GIS Analyst & Technical Coordinator

Canadian Environmental Consulting & Engineering Firm

Results

By integrating Altalis' geospatial data solutions, the firm achieved significant operational improvements:

Improved Efficiency: Automated data retrieval and updates streamlined workflows, reducing the time spent sourcing and processing geospatial information.
Enhanced Accuracy and Currency: Reliable, up-to-date datasets improved the quality of environmental assessments, minimizing errors and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Seamless Data Integration: Access to a broad range of geospatial datasets in a single platform simplified project execution and decision-making.
Stronger Environmental and Landowner Relations: Detailed and accurate data improved pre-disturbance assessments, supporting more effective communication with landowners and stakeholders.

About Altalis – www.altalis.com

Established in 1998, we have been the authoritative source of spatial data and imagery in Alberta for over 25 years.  We are the leading data management, maintenance, and distribution company in Alberta, and ensure the continued updating, re-engineering, storage, distribution, value-added redistribution, and general management of primary provincial mapping datasets. Our goal is to make mapping products more available, accessible, accurate, and affordable.  We are your trusted source of spatial data. 

Our state-of-the-art webstore, Altalis.com, is powered by AWS enabling reliable, fast and secure data deliveries. Customers can explore, view, and acquire spatial data products both paid and open data with the click of a button. We take pride in providing exceptional customer service and building long-term relationships with our clients. Our experienced customer service team is available to answer any questions you may have about finding the right data to meet your needs.