Open Source GIS Bootcamp - Halifax Edition - Fall 2025
We are exploring the possibility of bringing our Open Source GIS Bootcamp to Halifax, Nova Scotia. To help us determine if there is enough local interest to host the event in Halifax, we invite you to let us know if you’d be interested in attending using the form below.
Bootcamp Description
Unlock the power of open source GIS in this hands-on, two-day bootcamp designed for professionals and organizations ready to build their own enterprise-grade geospatial platform. On Day 1, you’ll learn how to design, build, and manage a spatial database using QGIS, PostgreSQL, and PostGIS, with guided tutorials on data upload, editing, permissions, and spatial SQL. On Day 2, you’ll take your GIS to the web by publishing your layers using GeoServer and configuring a full-featured map portal with LunaMap Enterprise. By the end of the bootcamp, you’ll have a complete working GIS database and a custom map viewer ready to deploy. This bootcamp is perfect for municipalities, consultants, and GIS professionals ready to embrace open source GIS.
Date & Location
Date: TBD, but likely in October or November, 2025
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Prerequisites
No previous experience with open source GIS is required, but introductory experience with GIS is advised. The bootcamp will NOT cover basic concepts in GIS (e.g. coordinate reference systems, projections, raster vs vector data, etc.) as it will be expected that attendees understand these foundational concepts. Experience using QGIS would be beneficial, but not required.
Included in the Bootcamp
- Two days of intensive, instructor-guided lessons and tutorials.
- 15-day access to a LunaCORE GIS server that includes PostgreSQL, PostGIS, Geoserver, and LunaMap Enterprise Edition.
- All course materials, including tutorials and sample data.
- Access to support during the event.
What You Need
- A computer with a solid internet connection.
- Install QGIS 3.40 LTR (download the latest LTR version here).
- Install pgAdmin4 (download here).
Cost
TBD
Course Structure
Day 1 – QGIS & PostGIS: Building the Spatial Database
Morning Session – QGIS and PostGIS I
- Arrival and Setup
- Welcome & Overview
- Module 1: Getting Started with QGIS and pgAdmin4
- Module 2: Database Design with PostgreSQL and PostGIS
- Module 3: Uploading and Editing Data
Lunch Break
Afternoon Session – QGIS and PostGIS II
- Module 4: Managing QGIS Symbology and Projects in PostGIS
- Module 5: Spatial SQL and Permissions
Day 2 – GeoServer & LunaMap: Publishing Maps to the Web
Morning Session – Geoserver
- Module 6: Getting Started with Geoserver
- Module 7: Publishing PostGIS Layers with Geoserver
- Module 8: Publishing Raster Layers with Geoserver
- Module 9: Getting Started with LunaMap
Afternoon Session – LunaMap
- Module 10: Publish Layers in LunaMap
- Module 11: Create Maps in LunaMap
- Project Wrap-Up & What Next?