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id assist 
the government of Canada, through EMR, by assessing national 
needs, promoting research and development and the diffusion of 
remote sensing technology into Canada, and by assisting in the 
coordination and evaluation of programs to assure a high level 
of national benefits relative to the cost of remote sensing. 
The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) was officially 
established in April, 1971 with an approved program for the 
next five years. The program included the administration of the 
Canadian participation in the Earth Resources Technology 
Satellite (ERTS) program, the operation of the ERTS data 
receiving, processing and dissemination, and the development of 
a high-altitude airborne sensing capability. In July, 1971 
the Inter Agency Committee on Remote Sensing (IACRS) was added 
to the organization committee structure, at the assistant 
deputy minister level, as an authority over CACRS (Figure 1). 
Communication initiated between the federal and provincial 
governments during the same year resulted in the selection of 
provincial representatives, who became members of CACRS in 1972. 
Once a year CACRS holds a conference at Montebello, Quebec, 
chaired by the Director of CCRS. At each conference, CCRS 
officials, working group chairmen, specialty group reporters 
and provincial representatives report on the preceding year’s 
activities and submit recommendations for the upcoming year. 
The proceedings of the conference are submitted to the chairman 
of IACRS for action on recommendations beyond the jurisdiction 
of CCRS. The proceedings are published by CCRS. The CACRS 
1972 and 1973 Reports are available from CCRS (see References). 
REGIONAL CENTRES 
The establishment of regional centres was formally proposed 
by Morley et al, 1970. The format was tentatively suggested 
and the practical achievement was left to the people with 
regional, or rather provincial, concern. Because of the 
financial implications of such a proposition, only the provincial 
governments could be considered for the sponsorship of regional 
centres. 
Since 1971 federal officials have made contacts with the 
provincial governments to publicize the major capital invest 
ment of the federal government in remote sensing, and the 
benefits the provinces might expect to derive. In particular, 
references were made to the Canadian participation in the U.S. 
resource satellite (ERTS) program and the high-altitude air 
borne sensing capability. It was suggested that the federal 
output be funnelled through the provincial centres to ensure 
maximum interpretation use. The reaction of the provincial 
governments was invariably cautious and variably slow.