Case Study
Case Study: Township of North Huron
Efficiency Through Data Integration: North Huron’s GIS Upgrade
Overview
In 2024, the Township of North Huron fully implemented Citywide GIS and Citywide Assets to connect fragmented asset data and improve day-to-day operations. Implementing Citywide GIS created better spatial awareness of infrastructure for staff and a centralized workflow process that connects asset data with GIS mapping and maintenance management. Shifting to a centralized approach to data management strengthened North Huron’s strategic planning and implementation of its 2022 Asset Management Plan.
Introduction
Before switching to Citywide, North Huron managed asset information across three disconnected systems: County GIS, an external GIS provider, and Citywide Assets. None of them communicated with each other, which led to unreliable data and difficulty maintaining a complete picture of the municipality’s infrastructure. In 2022, the Township of North Huron completed its Asset Management Plan. While looking to implement their strategic efforts, it was clear that their data was siloed and difficult to use. The municipality needed a better way to manage infrastructure spatially and create a centralized source of truth across departments.
Challenges
For mid-sized municipalities, Human Resources capacity and software learning curves restrain the ability to connect operational GIS with strategic asset management. North Huron faced these capacity constraints while juggling three separate GIS and asset management databases. These siloed systems meant that GIS and asset management efforts were operating completely independently. Without communicating with one another, GIS and asset management teams fail to leverage each others’ strengths to improve overall levels of service.
Furthermore, relying on a third-party GIS provider meant that internally, North Huron staff had little control over when and how they modified or read asset data. Without access to all asset attributes, staff frequently had to contact the external provider to ask for modifications to specific fields, like pipe diameter, length, or material. This creates inefficiencies and frequent delays.
Overall, the Township of North Huron faced limited capacity that led to data discrepancies amongst their siloed software systems. When they needed to implement their 2022 Asset Management Plan, Francene Francis, the Township’s first Asset Management Coordinator, took on the task of aligning both GIS and asset management data. Francis administered the complex process of cross-checking, filtering, and amalgamating North Huron’s data, backed by the support staff at PSD Citywide. By leveraging Citywide GIS and Citywide Assets to eliminate the external GIS provider, the Township was able to overcome its key challenges and build an interconnected database.
Implementing the Solution
North Huron began working with Citywide GIS in early 2024 and reached full implementation
by June of that year. The first priority was consolidating all asset data into one place. New infrastructure is now cross-referenced with both County GIS records and the Citywide database to ensure consistency. This shift gave staff more control. In the past, adding something as simple as a trail layer meant submitting a request and waiting on an external provider. Francene Francis noted,
Now, the team can add that same data in-house and print updated maps in one day.
Shifting from a siloed system to a centralized one does come with a learning curve. The Township of North Huron emphasized the importance of organizational strength. With one staff member taking ownership of the GIS implementation project, they are able to share knowledge with the team over time. Furthermore, maintaining data governance and cross-checking data is still crucial. With open-source software like Citywide GIS , the system relies on high-quality data inputs to generate impactful outputs. Overall, North Huron gained total autonomy over its asset data while creating spatial awareness of assets and improving internal communication.
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Township of North Huron
Key Outcomes
Aligning GIS and asset management is crucial when it comes to optimizing resource efficiency, minimizing risks, and achieving long-term organizational goals. By connecting their asset data to Citywide GIS, North Huron gained control over their data. This process opens the municipality up to:
Increased cost efficiency
Improved data accuracy
Regulatory compliance
Organizational coherence and internal communication
Stronger decision-making
Spatial awareness and analysis for long-term and operational planning
From three siloed programs to Citywide GIS, the Township of North Huron has significantly improved their operations. As Francene Francis explained,
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It’s all linked, everything flows perfectly in one nice workflow. And we don’t have to worry about gaps in our system anymore because with one system we’re all ready to go.
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Township of North Huron
If your organization struggles with fragmented data systems and operational siloes, PSD Citywide is ready to help. Contact us today to find out how Citywide GIS can create impacts that are game-changing for your organization.
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Case Study: North Huron
Efficiency Through Data Integration: North Huron’s GIS Upgrade
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In 2024, the Township of North Huron upgraded to Citywide GIS and Citywide Assets to connect fragmented asset data and create a centralized workflow. By consolidating data from three separate systems into a single platform, North Huron improved data accuracy, enhanced internal communication, and gained greater control over its infrastructure planning.
Centralized Asset Inventory
With the implementation of Citywide GIS and Citywide Assets, the Township replaced disconnected systems, creating a single source of truth.
Increased Staff Autonomy
By bringing GIS management in-house, North Huron's staff now modify and access their own asset data, completing tasks in one day that once took days.
Enhanced Data Accuracy
Improved spatial awareness and data accuracy enable stronger decision-making, better long-term planning, and more effective resource management.
“It’s all linked, everything flows perfectly in one nice workflow. And we don’t have to worry about gaps in our system anymore because with one system we’re all ready to go.”
