In this episode of Pathfinders, we sit down with Steve Mark, a geospatial leader from Victoria, BC, who has dedicated his career to advancing data sharing and collaboration in the geospatial industry. As the Director of the Integrated Cadastral Information Society (ICI Society), Steve leads an initiative that brings together governments, utilities, and First Nations communities to create a single source of truth for geospatial data.
From mapping parcel data to supporting First Nations' data sovereignty, Steve and his team are at the forefront of using GIS to solve real-world challenges. His journey highlights the power of relationships, trust, and collaboration in building a data-driven society.
“We bring people together who otherwise wouldn’t be in the same room.” – Steve Mark
About Steve
Steve Mark is the Director of the ICI Society, a geospatial data-sharing organization in British Columbia. With a career spanning over 15 years, Steve has played a critical role in evolving the Society from a parcel data aggregator into a collaborative network of over 300 organizations, supporting infrastructure planning, emergency response, and Indigenous data governance.
The ICI Society serves as the “Costco of geospatial data”, a one-stop shop for government, utilities, and First Nations to access high-quality spatial data that informs critical decision-making in land development, emergency services, and infrastructure planning.
Passion: A Love for Geospatial Collaboration
Steve’s passion for GIS goes beyond the data—it's about the people. He has spent years building relationships across governments, utilities, and First Nations, ensuring that data-sharing remains a trusted and voluntary collaboration rather than a mandated initiative.
His belief? GIS is not just about maps—it’s about people using data to make informed decisions that impact lives.
“Every decision has a geospatial component. Ambulances getting to the right location, fiber optics reaching rural areas, or planning affordable housing—it all starts with good data.”
Action: Building a Data-Sharing Society
The ICI Society was founded in 2001 to aggregate and standardize parcel data across BC. Over the years, Steve has led initiatives to:
Expand beyond parcels to include infrastructure, zoning, and emergency response layers
Support First Nations communities with data sovereignty initiatives and digital mapping
Launch GeoShare, an automated system that delivers weekly geospatial updates to thousands of users
Create a governance model that ensures data trust, security, and usability
This collaborative approach has led to faster decision-making, cost savings, and improved emergency response times across BC.
Tenacity: Overcoming Data Silos and Resistance
Building a collaborative geospatial network hasn’t been easy. Steve and his team faced significant pushback from municipalities hesitant to share their data due to concerns over accuracy, privacy, and control.
By demonstrating the value of voluntary data sharing, the ICI Society gradually gained buy-in from 300+ organizations, proving that collaboration leads to better outcomes than siloed data.
One major challenge? Ensuring data quality. Instead of aiming for perfection, Steve’s philosophy is:
If it’s the best available data you have for internal decision-making, it should be shared—it will only improve with more eyes on it.”
Humility: The Impact of a Connected Community
Despite years of hard work, Steve remains humbled by the impact of the Society’s work. He often hears from new members:
“How did you make this happen? I wish we had this in our jurisdiction.”
For Steve, it’s not just about aggregating data—it’s about bringing people together, fostering trust, and creating a network where GIS professionals don’t feel alone in their work.
The ICI Society isn’t just a database—it’s a community.
Final Thought: The Future of GIS Collaboration
As geospatial data becomes more critical in urban planning, climate response, and emergency services, the ICI Society continues to evolve.
With a focus on:
Expanding data sets to include human and environmental geography
Advancing First Nations data sovereignty and digital infrastructure
Improving real-time data sharing for emergency response
Steve envisions a future where geospatial collaboration is the standard, not the exception.
“Data is power—but only when it’s shared and used for the greater good.”
Connect with Steve & the ICI Society
🌍 Website: ICI Society
📧 Email: info@icisociety.ca
🔗 LinkedIn: Steve Mark
Interested in using GIS for good? Join the conversation at Pathfinders and help build a more connected, data-driven world.
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