Alberta-based Geomatics Company Expands to Nova Scotia

Alberta-based Crape Geomatics Corporation is reversing the trend to move west by expanding its operations to Nova Scotia.

Brooke Taylor, Minister of Agriculture, on behalf of Economic Development Minister Richard Hurlburt, and Jamie Hume, president of Crape Geomatics Corporation, joined Jim Stanley, principal of the Nova Scotia Community College's Centre of Geographic Sciences, and Stephen Lund, president and CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), in Dartmouth today, Sept. 18, to officially open the company's Nova Scotia office.

"Crape Geomatics should be commended for recognizing the benefits of expanding in Nova Scotia," said Mr. Hurlburt. "Our skilled workers, competitive costs, and proximity to new market opportunities make sense for growth-oriented companies like Crape Geomatics. Crape is reversing a trend that for generations has drawn some of our most talented and skilled people west."

Geomatics is the gathering, storage, analysis and use of geographically referenced information. This information has a variety of uses, including mapping, municipal planning, transportation infrastructure management, business planning, natural resource stewardship and agriculture.

"For years, Nova Scotia's universities, the community college, and the Centre of Geographic Sciences, have supplied leading geomatics firms with a steady stream of talent," said Mr. Taylor. "Crape Geomatics has shown true vision by seeing the value of providing opportunities for these professionals to stay and work in Nova Scotia."

Nova Scotia Business Inc. has reached an agreement to provide Crape with a payroll rebate set at a maximum of $853,300 over a five-year period. The payroll rebate will be invested incrementally as the company reaches its job targets.

"The Dartmouth location will enable Crape Geomatics to provide services to existing clients in the oil and gas industry, as well as other industry markets," said Mr. Hume. "There is more potential to grow our business through the talent were are able to employ in Dartmouth.”

Crape Geomatics' new Dartmouth facility will create up to 75 new jobs with a minimum annual average salary of $53,000, including benefits.

"Geomatics is a growing industry, with benefits across numerous sectors, including health and education, natural resources and national security," said Mr. Stanley. "Crape Geomatics recognized the calibre of our graduates and established a bursary program at the Centre of Geographic Sciences two years ago. The company's expansion to Nova Scotia now demonstrates the growth and opportunity of the local industry."

"NSBI is committed to the growth and development of diverse sectors such as geomatics," said Mr. Lund. "Outward migration is a trend we want to curb. The best way to combat this challenge is to support strong local companies and to encourage national leaders, like Crape Geomatics, to think outside the box and to develop cost-effective service delivery options from Nova Scotia."

Crape Geomatics Corporation is a privately held, Alberta-based company that has been delivering digital images of the physical world to business and industry clients since 1993.

Nova Scotia Business Inc. is Nova Scotia's private sector-led business development agency. NSBI is the investment attraction arm of the province and helps companies in Nova Scotia meet their growth potential through business advisory, export development and financial services.