Edmonton, AB (May 19, 2026)
Working Together for a Safer Churchill Station
Churchill Station is a major hub within Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and presents unique public safety challenges due to its underground configuration, high pedestrian volumes and complex spatial layout. Traditional GPS-based tracking systems are ineffective in these environments, limiting situational awareness for responding officers and dispatchers. In response, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) partnered with Esri Canada to develop the Edmonton Transit Enhanced Community Safety System (ETECS), an advanced platform based on Esri’s geographic information system (GIS) technology designed to improve officer tracking, coordination and safety within transit facilities.
GeoVerra was engaged as a specialized subcontractor to Esri Canada to provide the precise geospatial foundation required to support Esri Canada’s GIS platform and the EPS operational needs. The Canadian Safety and Security Program—a federal program by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public Safety Canada—awarded $1.3 million in funding to EPS and Esri Canada to support the development of ETECS. This work at Churchill Station represents a proof-of-concept implementation and not a full production deployment.
A central component of the project is the creation of a three-dimensional digital representation of Churchill Station and its surrounding environment. This digital model supports indoor positioning, enhanced wayfinding and real-time operational visualization, enabling improved response planning and coordination in complex underground spaces.
By integrating indoor and outdoor spatial context, the project demonstrates an innovative application of digital twin and GIS technologies to enhance public safety within urban transit systems as part of a federally supported research and innovation initiative.
Overview of Project Challenges
- Using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and Terrestrial Scan instruments in areas with a lot of pedestrians and traffic
- Integrating different datasets together seamlessly (photogrammetry, mobile scan and terrestrial laser scanner)
The Solution: A Collaborative Approach
Why Esri Canada
Esri Canada brought deep expertise in GIS and digital twin technology to the Churchill Station project, enabling the transformation of complex spatial data into actionable intelligence for public safety operations. Their team worked closely with the Edmonton Police Service to tailor the solution to the unique challenges of underground transit environments, ensuring seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spatial data.
Esri Canada’s commitment to innovation and interoperability allowed for the rapid deployment of advanced mapping, visualization and analytics capabilities, empowering first responders with the information they need to make faster, safer decisions. By bridging the gap between geospatial technology and operational needs, Esri Canada is playing a pivotal role in enhancing public safety and setting a new benchmark for GIS-driven solutions in Canadian transit systems.
Why GeoVerra
GeoVerra employed a NavVis VLX3 mobile mapping system to scan the underground areas of the site. The system uses SLAM technology to efficiently capture high-density three-dimensional point cloud data. The collected data were registered to established survey control, and a three-dimensional Revit model was subsequently developed from the registered point cloud dataset for use in the Esri application.
For the above-ground environment, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) survey was conducted over Churchill Square using a DJI M350 RTK equipped with a P1 camera to collect both nadir and oblique imagery. In addition, terrestrial scanning was performed within and around vegetated areas to supplement the aerial data and support the generation of a high-resolution 3D mesh. Through the integration of multiple data capture methodologies, GeoVerra delivered accurate, dependable and spatially consistent three-dimensional representations to support complex project requirements.
Esri Canada’s Services:
- Design and implementation of ETECS
- Integration of 3D digital twin models with real-time officer tracking and operational dashboards
- Development of indoor positioning and wayfinding solutions for complex underground environments
- Customization of GIS tools to support emergency response planning and coordination
- Ongoing support and collaboration with project partners to ensure solution effectiveness and scalability
GeoVerra’s Services
- Establishment of above and below ground control network for georeferencing scan and Remote Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) data
- Mobile scanning using NavVis VLX3 of underground train station corridors, including all entranceways and platform areas such as the connection to Edmonton City Centre
- Production of a 3D model of the underground train station and corridor network
- Collection of photogrammetry and terrestrial scan data of above ground Churchill Square for a detailed 3D mesh
A partnership Built for Complex Environments
The success of the Churchill Station project reflects strong collaboration between Esri Canada, EPS and supporting contributors, enabled through federal research funding. By combining Esri Canada’s advanced GIS platforms with GeoVerra’s expertise in high-accuracy spatial data capture and 3D modelling, the teams delivered an integrated solution tailored to one of Edmonton’s most complex transit environments.
GeoVerra’s ability to capture, align and translate detailed spatial data across underground and surface environments ensured Esri Canada’s digital twin and operational visualization tools were built on a trusted, survey-grade foundation. Together, the teams bridged the gap between data collection and actionable insight, enabling enhanced situational awareness, improved response coordination and safer outcomes for officers and the public.
This collaboration demonstrates how strong technology partnerships, aligned around quality and accuracy, can unlock innovative public safety solutions in environments where conventional approaches fall short.
Together, the teams bridged the gap between data collection and actionable insight, enabling enhanced situational awareness, and improved response coordination in the trial implementation.
Enhancing Public Safety for the Future
As a pilot initiative supported through the Canadian Safety and Security Program, this work establishes a foundation for continued research, evaluation and potential future operational deployment of GIS-driven public safety solutions.