Prashant Shukle is the Director General for the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation Branch, Earth Sciences Sector, at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

NRCan has fostered an enabling policy mechanism and provided a conducive framework for geospatial information infrastructure. In today’s digital age when geospatial is becoming more and more ubiquitous, open and inter-disciplinary policies are the key instruments of harnessing the true value of this wonderful technology. NRCan has demonstrated very mature and inclusive approach while setting its geospatial policies and infrastructure, which has been exemplary to other countries as well.

NRCan has crafted an open and encouraging environment for government, businesses, citizens and development organizations to make optimum utilization of geospatial information in their respective functions and responsibilities. It has also taken well-articulated steps to undertake a market study estimating socio-economic value of geospatial information in Canadian economy. This, in turn, has created vibrant and robust geospatial capacity and businesses in Canada.