Members

The five founding organizations of MISA/ASIM Canada are:

• MISA BC
• MISA Prairie
• MISA Ontario
• Réseau de l’Informatique Municipale du Québec
• MISA Atlantic

Municipal Information Systems Association, British Columbia (MISA BC)

The BC Chapter of the Municipal Information Systems Association (MISA) was formed in April 1994, with initial membership of more than 20 municipalities in British Columbia.

Today the chapter has about 70 municipal members and 30 associate members, and is incorporated as a not-for-profit society. Among its members are the territories of Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon. Details of membership and activities can be found at www.misa.bc.ca.

MISA BC provides a forum for municipal IT professionals to exchange information with their peers who are involved in the evaluation, design, creation or acquisition, installation, implementation, maintenance and operation of municipal information systems.

Throughout the year, MISA BC sponsors conferences, spring and fall meetings, and specialized events designed for MISA members and their colleagues to come together and share knowledge and solutions for the IT industry.

• Annual General Meeting - MISA BC holds a 1 day annual general meeting each year usually in February or early March. The venue for this meeting is usually in the lower mainland. The AGM and associated business is held in the morning with information sessions delivered by local government in the afternoon.
• Spring Meeting - MISA BC holds a 1 day spring conference each year that is hosted by a specific municipality. This meeting typically includes presentations delivered primarily by local government members.
• Fall Conference - MISA BC holds a 3 day fall conference each year usually in September or October. Venue for this conference alternates between the lower mainland, island and the interior. Each conference has a theme and is composed of vendor exhibitors, presentations (following the theme) and social events.
• Ad-hoc Meetings - Throughout the year meetings may be scheduled for the entire membership and/or special committees to deal with specific issues and initiatives.

Municipal Information Systems Association, Prairies (MISA Prairie)

MISA Prairie brings together municipal IT professionals in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The chapter has 19 municipal members and is aligned with MISA BC for its administration. Meetings are organized by President Georgeanne Dupont of the City of Airdrie, Alberta.

Municipal Information Systems Association, Ontario (MISA Ontario)

MISA Ontario was established in the mid-1970s to assist municipal government representatives and others interested in the effective use of information technology to provide better and more cos- effective services to municipal taxpayers and clients.

As a not-for-profit incorporation, its objectives are:

• To promote and provide leadership in the efficient and effective use of municipal information systems and technology.
• To provide a forum for the interchange of information between municipal representatives, other levels of government, private industry and interested persons or groups, leading to the more efficient use of municipal information systems.
• To facilitate strategic alliances between public and private sectors leading to the development of more effective municipal information systems.
• To provide a formal interface between those working with municipal information systems and other levels of government for the purpose of exchanging information.

MISA Ontario has about 100 municipal members and 70 associate members. Details of membership and activities can be found at www.misa.on.ca.

Réseau de l’Informatique Municipale du Québec (RIMQ)

RIMQ 's mission is to support the exchange and improvement of knowledge among information resource managers in Québec's municipalities in order to optimize the business processes of member municipalities seeking to better serve their citizens.

Formerly known as IMQ, RIMQ was founded in 1982. Its membership is mainly composed of administrators involved in IT management.

RIMQ is composed of 47 member municipalities that represent nearly 70 per cent of Québec's population. The association also includes 28 partner-members among major suppliers to the municipal sector.

RIMQ maintains close relationships with other associations such as the UMQ, COMAQ, ADGMQ and ADMQ.

Objectives

To develop and maintain a collective and individual collaborative network among organizations that are directly involved in the management of municipal information resources.

To promote an efficient and beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience through:

• seminars, workshops and round tables
• the dissemination of information

To promote the sharing of:

• studies
• projects
• good practices

To guide its members in implementing collaboration mechanisms such as partnerships to help them maximize their benefits .

To raise awareness about the strategic role that information resources play in organizations.

To influence government and associations in the development of policies, directives and practices pertaining to the processing of information resources in the municipal sector .

Concerns

• The diversity of means available to municipalities (critical mass often lacking)
• Information security issues arising from the electronic delivery of services

Issues

• Overall vision and long-term planning
• Positioning IT as a strategic component in the efficient delivery of services to citizens
• Increased flexibility in the delivery of optimal solutions, e.g. through the use of notices of intent (a tool available to government departments)
• Implementation of best practices and service level management mechanisms, and use of management indicators to measure results
• Standardization of a legal framework for the sharing of services
• Delivery of electronic services :
• review of business processes
• electronic payments at reasonable rates
• funding of innovative projects
• cooperation between government levels and consolidation of efforts
• for citizens, access to services based on the nature of services as opposed to the jurisdiction.

Municipal Information Systems Association, Atlantic Canada (MISA Atlantic)

MISA Atlantic has held several informal meetings since 2003. It is now being organized into a formal association led by municipal IT professionals in Fredericton, Halifax and Saint John.