What technology is used to build and maintain the COVID-19 Canada Hub?

The technology used is ArcGIS Hub. ArcGIS Hub is a community engagement platform that organizes people, data, and tools through information-driven initiatives. 

How can I get access to ArcGIS Hub?

If you don’t have ArcGIS Online, you can get access to ArcGIS Online—including ArcGIS Hub Basic, the tool used to develop the COVID-19 Hub—through Esri’s DRP (Disaster Response Program). The DRP is a way to obtain Esri technology at no cost for a six-month period.

You can also click on the "Request Assistance Here" button at the top of this page to get access.

If you’re already using ArcGIS Online, you already have access to ArcGIS Hub Basic.  

I have ArcGIS Online and Hub, how do I start building applications to communicate within my organization and with the public? 

For existing ArcGIS Online customers, you have everything you need within the ArcGIS Online, including the Coronavirus Response Template. 

Turning this template on within Hub Basic is the quickest way to build tools to help you communicate with and gather case data from your community. For detailed instructions on how to get going, view this webinar recording. 

How do I make the Coronavirus Response Template work with my organization’s datasets? 

To use the Coronavirus Response Template to the fullest of its abilities and communicate with your people about reported cases or important locations (like pharmacies, grocery stores and hospitals), you’ll need data and maps. The Coronavirus Response Solution Toolkit, which Esri has made available through the ArcGIS Solutions for Local Government Initiative, helps you create these data and maps. Some data layers—like public places, hospitals, education facilities and case reports—are already available through the toolkit. You can start with these and modify the dataset templates and populate them with your data as needed. 

How do I customize the Coronavirus Response Template?

The Coronavirus Response Template works with Hub Basic, creating a one-stop shop for organizations looking to communicate with the public about COVID-19. Hub Basic contains an easy-to-use website builder, which can be used with the Coronavirus Response Template to build a site with as many related pages as you need. You can additionally use the Coronavirus Response: How to use this template as a step-by-step guide to customize the template. 

What is the difference between activating an initiative like the Coronavirus Resource Template and creating an open data site using ArcGIS Hub?

An initiative is a way to work with stakeholders to share content, make information discoverable, and engage with the right audience. Initiatives can vary in scope and can include open data. They can be as simple as a website highlighting an upcoming project or as comprehensive as a site with multiple pages of resources, like the COVID-19 Canada hub. Initiative templates are available, like the Coronavirus Resource Template to help you jump-start your site.  

You can also use ArcGIS Hub to share open data such as datasets for others to connect to directly or download for their own use and analysis. This can be done by building a site for sharing your open data. There is a Share Open Data initiative template that you can leverage to assist you with this.

What is the source of the case data on this site on the COVID-19 Canada hub?

This site combines data from many sources and presents it in a both spatial, tabular and visual form. In our maps, we list the "SourceURL" for the web location where a particular record's data is from. We also list many other data sources in the Open Data page, and on the Additional Links page.

How can I leverage the maps and data that you have created on the COVID-19 Canada hub in my own hub and websites?

The Media Resources page contains maps and charts that you can use to complement your hub or website. If you want to include any of the maps, simply add the iframe code provided beside each of the applications. 

The COVID-19 Data Repository gallery contains all the data that is being used in all the applications on the COVID-19 Canada hub.

Can I create my own hub in ArcGIS Enterprise?

Organizations that have licensed ArcGIS Enterprise have access to ArcGIS Enterprise Sites. ArcGIS Enterprise Sites is the equivalent to ArcGIS Hub basic and enables teams to create unlimited websites and web pages on-premises. ArcGIS Enterprise Sites does not include the Coronavirus Response Template.