NOVEMBER 2005, VOL. 12, NO 5 InterfaceMUNICIPAL National Journal of the Municipal Information Systems Association The pending launch of BizPaL points to a new era of e-government collaboration See page 12 Also in this Issue: Telecommunications and Networks Page Wireless solutions: Start with business needs, not technology 16 Emerging community portals support Web-based democracy 18 Portal helps build a smart community in Sudbury 19 Leadership principles guide Hamilton portal project 21 How two key technologies are enabling today’s networks 25 St. John’s monitors snow clearing on a wireless network 29 MUNICIPAL Interface NOVEMBER 2005 Table of Contents News MISA news across Canada 5 Advertisers Index Municipal News 39 Page Report from RIMQ ABTS Global 27 Installing fibre optics in the Laurentians 8 AESI (Acumen Engineered Solutions) 22 Agresso 36 Columns Bell Canada 28 President’s column – Keeping In Touch 4 Diamond Municipal Solutions 15 Roy Wiseman – Security Issues 42 Direct IT Canada 44 ESRI Canada 34 Features iPLANcorp 17 BizPaL services advances e-Government 12 Motorola Canada 40 Wireless solutions should meet business needs 16 Océ-Canada 20 Community portals support Web-based democracy 18 Packet Works 41 Portal helps build a smart community in Sudbury 19 Panasonic Canada 7 Leadership principles guide Hamilton portal project 21 Polar Bear Corporate Education 32 Key technologies behind today’s networks 25 Teranet Inc.2 St. John’s monitors snow clearing on network 29 Trend Micro 38 Policies for licensing and procuring software 31 Vadim Software 24 Report on MISA BC Fall Conference 33 InterfaceMUNICIPAL Journal of the Municipal Information Systems Association Advertising Rates Suite 910, 2680 Skymark Avenue, $1,350 pre-printed insert Mississauga, ON L4W 5L6 $1,200 back page Phone: 905-602-4564 Fax: 905-602-4295 www.misa.on.ca; www.misa.bc.ca; www.misa-asim.ca $900 inside front Journal Production $600 1 page $400 1/2 page Co-Chairs, Communications Committee: $250 quarter page Ron Blakey (Durham) 905-571-4111 Kathryn Bulko (Toronto) 416-397-9921 $150 business card Co-Editors: Articles are subject to approval by the Communications Committee. Lawrence Moule 416-458-4410 The views expressed in this journal are those of the individual writers Jane Morgan 416-488-2878 and do not necessarily reflect those of the Municipal Information Systems Association. French-language editor: Gaston Huot, Longueuil, 450-463-7202 No part of the publication may be reproduced by anyone without prior Design: Natalie Coombs written permission from MISA. Printer: Select Printing,Toronto © 2005 Municipal Information Systems Association 3 MUNICIPAL Interface NOVEMBER 2005 KEEPING IN TOUCH Cooperation With Caution By David Muise President, MISA Atlantic No matter how hard I try, I occasionally fall victim cross-municipal service delivery. The potential for to the tendency to over-commit and under-deliver, and economies of scale for everything from procurement my new role as president of MISA Atlantic is no excep- and sharing of application development efforts to flexible tion. I reflect back on the beautiful Moncton summer day hosting services leads to exciting possibilities. in late July when our informal gathering of municipal IT Communications infrastructures that enable data-centre organizations agreed to represent MISA in Atlantic consolidation are now becoming commonplace, and Canada. Did the others in the room sense this tenden- those investments in scalable architectures can soon be cy, especially with vacation a scant two hours away? put to the test. Reciprocal arrangements seem to have major advantages and can create multiple diverse However it happened, I walked out the door as the centres of excellence, eliminating duplication and dilu- president of MISA Atlantic with what sounded like some tion of IT services. simple tasks, including writing this column. For the record, I should identify the other members of the executive: Substantial Challenges Daya Pillay, Halifax Regional Municipality, treasurer; and The challenges of ensuring that services are not provided Bill Todd, City of Saint John, secretary. at the expense of the wrong tax base, selling the concept, For a couple of years now, Atlantic Canada has held service-level agreement management and organizational an informal meeting of municipalities to discuss common commitment are all substantial. Perhaps if anything IT issues – Halifax Regional Municipality, Cape Breton tangible comes from linking various levels of govern- Regional Municipality, St John's, Charlottetown, Saint ment for electronic service delivery, it will be the recog- John, Moncton and Fredericton. Lac Carling has proved nition that we can and should cooperate effectively. invaluable in facilitating introductions and providing an To survive in the fast-paced world of technology excellent venue for making these municipal connections. today, we will be forced to be more entrepreneurial, and Despite the differences in geography, political climate, look to our friends and neighbours for solutions and size and mandate, we have always found common issues models to adopt. and challenges to discuss, and the opportunity to share Will any of this happen during my tenure as president our experiences is always of mutual benefit. of MISA Atlantic? I am now more aware of my personal over-commit-and-under-deliver pitfall, so let me say Collective Memories I’m cautiously optimistic we can move toward more The decision to join MISA as a formal chapter was not a cooperative ventures. simple one. Perhaps our collective genetic memory of George Brown may have said it all in describing the Confederation (either 1867, 1873 or 1949, depending Charlottetown Conference of 1864: on locale) caused a more cautious approach than was “On Wednesday, the Conference gave the Canadian warranted, but in the end the obvious benefits of mem- Delegates their answer – that they were unanimous in bership in a national organization won out. regarding Federation of all the Provinces to be highly In the coming months we will establish a more formal desirable, if the terms of union could be made satisfactory structure and modus operandi, determine our operating – and that they were prepared to waive their own more relationship with MISA Canada, and begin reaching out limited questions until the details of our scheme could to other municipalities within the region. be more fully considered and matured.” One of the most difficult yet potentially rewarding areas for municipal cooperation in Atlantic Canada is [email protected] n 4 MUNICIPAL Interface NOVEMBER 2005 MISA NEWS ACROSS CANADA MISA IT Security Conference to Introduce New Concepts and Advanced Strategies Have you heard of “security implemented by municipalities, other public-sector staff to learn convergence?” It’s a formal method other levels of government and together, exchange ideas, discuss for bringing together the cumulative major private-sector companies. trends, and review technologies and security resources of an organization, The Region of Peel, City of industry best practices,” says confer- and it’s the newest and hottest Brampton, City of Mississauga and ence chair Roy Wiseman, CIO and topic in IT security, says Dave Tyson, the Town of Caledon are hosts director of information technology senior manager, IT and physical of the conference at the Delta services for the Region of Peel. security for the City of Vancouver. Meadowvale Resort and Conference Municipal delegates from across Tyson’s presentation on security Centre in Mississauga. the country have registered in convergence will be a highlight The conference theme is “Cyber advance for the conference through of the 3rd annual MISA IT Security Security and Integrity.” Content will MISA Ontario’s Web site, Conference, taking place November include policy, administration and www.misa.on.ca. 21-22. technical issues as well as forensic Conference speakers are drawn The conference will also explore techniques. from every region of Canada. They other concepts, strategies, programs “This event will provide an excel- include senior security officials from and solutions being developed and lent opportunity for municipal and the Atlantic Provinces, Manitoba, Ontario and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada. MISA/ASIM Canada Members The program also includes police experts from the RCMP and the Officially Join Association Region of Peel, and educational specialists from Dalhousie University and Sheridan College. MISA/ASIM Canada, the At a teleconference October 5, Fraser Hirsch of the City of Ottawa, emerging national association the Interim Executive composed of which was the host municipality for formed to coordinate the work of two representatives from each of the the first two MISA IT security confer- municipal IT organizations in all five member organizations approved ences, will present a session on areas of the country, has advanced and adopted a By-laws and Operations employee monitoring. Klem Vessel several steps toward its official Manual defining the mission, princi- ples and governance structure of the of the City of Brampton will speak launch. national association. on internal audits, and a panel of Executives of all five member The association has also made its speakers from several Ontario organizations – including the four first contribution to public-policy municipalities will discuss vulnera- chapters of MISA and Réseau de discussions by submitting recom- bility management. l’Informatique Municipale du mendations on