Baxter Analytics

Meet our Expert!

Aaron Baxter, BA, MENV, MCIP, RPP

Our world generates unbelievable amounts of data and information. Through sensors, devices, surveys and conversations, we generate a reflection of our society in the ways in which we record it. Aaron aspires to identify, process, and contextualize that information to help guide communities, their residents, and visitors to a healthier and more fulfilling future.

With over 15 years of experience in data-driven planning and spatial analytics engineering, Aaron has built a reputation for nuanced analytics and immersive interactive WebGIS-based data visualizations. He is also a Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and compliments his technical work with his background in Environmental and Cultural Impact Assessment, Zoning Bylaws, Official Plan Amendments, and Transportation Planning – including Highways, Rail, Transit, Complete Streets, Bikeshare, Cycling, and Walkability.

Aaron’s keen sense for details is matched by the breadth of his experience and the passion he demonstrates through his work. Aaron’s personable demeanor and diligence for facts and collective decision making have routinely met or exceeded the expectations of even the most scrupulous clients.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

  • President, Baxter Analytics, US/Canada (2008-Present)
  • Analytics Engineer, Motionworks International, US/Canada (2022-2024)
  • Course Instructor, Concordia University, Montreal (2022)
  • Data Scientist, Stantec, US/Canada (2021-2022)
  • Transit Planner, Stantec, US/Canada (2018-2021)
  • Active Transportation Planner, WSP, Canada (2015-2018)
  • Planner/Interactive Media Developer, MMM Group, Canada (2013-2015)
  • Planner, AECOM, Guinea (2011-2013)
  • Project Lead, APEXIOS, Montreal (2010-2011)

SELECTED PROJECT EXPERIENCE

WebGIS and Spatial Analytics Engineering

Using multiple GIS and big data analytics software to ingest, process, and analyze location based services information for planning and design.  Reporting those analyses through web-based visualizations.   Example projects include:

  • Placecast for Motionworks International
  • TravelPredictor/FloodPredictor for Stantec
  • New Jersey Tourism Demand Study
  • Atlanta Parking Tax Assessment
  • Los Angeles Parks Griffith Park Gondola Feasibility Study

Transit Planning

Prepared several strategic development and fleet management plans for agencies across the US and Canada.  These include projects for the following transit agencies:

  • City of Winnipeg Transit Master Plan
  • Toronto Wheel-Trans Transformation Program
  • Orange County Paratransit Fleet Management Optimization Study
  • Smart Stations – TfNSW
  • Okotoks Autonomous Vehicle Feasibility Study
  • Arizona State University SAV Feasibility Study
  • Fredericton Transit Strategic Plan
  • Antelope Valley Transportation Authority Transit Redesign
  • Bangor Transit Redesign
  • St. Thomas Transit Redesign
  • Study of Best Practices Regarding Alternatives to Traditional Fixed Route Transit Service
  • Halifax Moving Forward Together Corridor Route Review
  • Edmonton Alternative Service Delivery Strategy
  • Gardena Line-by-Line Analysis of Transit Services

Bikeshare and Active Transportation Planning

Aaron has also been deeply involved in several active transportation and bike share planning projects, specifically:

  • Sidewalk Labs Master Planning Engineering Services
  • Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) Bike Share Feasibility Study
  • Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto
  • Oakville Active Transportation Master Plan Update
  • Kingston Active Transportation Master Plan Update
  • Brampton Transportation Master Plan
  • Midland Transportation Plan

Landuse and Community Planning

Aaron has been involved in numerous planning studies from economic analyses, zoning bylaw reviews and community improvement plans.  These projects include:

  • Reimagining Yonge Street (Toronto)
  • Enhanced Commercial Demand Analysis (West Lincoln)
  • Analysis of Urban Growth Centres (Ontario)
  • Lundy’s Lane Community Improvement Plan (Niagara)
  • Interactive Project Management Dashboards (Ontario)
  • Interactive Online Survey Development and Interactive Zoning Bylaw Projects:
    • Brockville
    • Innisville
    • Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
    • Wasaga Beach
    • Vaughan
    • Oshawa
    • Tillsonburg
    • Collingwood
    • Thornbury
    • Belleville
    • Ottawa
    • St. Elgin
    • Halifax
  • Planning Resources Integrated Mapping Environment (Ontario)
  • Communication Management Dashboard (Toronto)

Environmental Assessment

Aaron began his career in environmental assessment, and has worked on projects both locally and internationally.  These include:

  • Britannia Ave West Extension EA (Oshawa)
  • Simandou Rail (Guinea, West Africa)
  • Environmental Auditor (Montreal)
  • Comparative Analysis of VOC Control from the Printing Industry (Montreal)

Academics

Aaron is course instructor at Concordia University where he teaches GEOG466: GeoMedia and the GeoWeb.  Aaron has also been involved with numerous academic research projects as a technical consultant and developer.  These projects include:

EDUCATION
Master of Environment (Impact Assessment/GIS), Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, 2011

Bachelor of Arts (Cultural Studies/Physics/Media Technologies), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, 2007

REGISTRATIONS
Registered Professional Planner, Ontario Professional Planners Institute

Registered Member, Canadian Institute of Planners

AWARDS
2016 OPPI and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario’s special join Healthy Communities Award, Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto

2016 OPPI Excellence in Planning Award – Research / New Directions, Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto

PUBLICATIONS
Baxter, A. Planning in the Era of Data Science and Dashboards. Plan Canada 57(1), 2017, pp. 6-9.

Baxter, A. and Wheldrake, S. Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto.. Ontario Planning Journal. 32(1)., 2017, pp. 1-3.

PRESENTATIONS
Redesigning Winnipeg: The Role of Automatic Passenger Counters, Location Based Devices, and WebGIS in the Development of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. TransitData 2020 6th International Symposium. 2020.

GTHA Bike Share Feasibility Study. North American Bike Share Association Annual Conference, 2017.

Developing a Blueprint for Shared Mobility: Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto. ITE/CITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit, 2017.

Collective Spatial Decision Making in the GTHA Bike Share Feasibility Study. Ontario Professional Planners Institute Conference, 2017.

Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto. Winter Cycling Congress, 2017.

Building open-source web mapping applications and possibilities for 3D data visualization. Ontario Professional Planners Institute Conference, 2013.

Representing Cartographic Uncertainty. International Cartographic Association’s Art & Cartography Workshop, 2010.

GUEST LECTURER

Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto. Presented at York University on February 17th, 2017 to the class of ENVS 3505 Business and Sustainability (Professor José Etcheverry).

Feasibility Study for the Expansion of Bike Share Toronto. Presented at Concordia University on February 8th, 2017 to the class of ENVS 663 GIS for EIA (Professor Sébastien Caquard).

LANGUAGES
Fluent in English and French

SOFTWARE LANGUAGES
Fluent:
JavaScript, SQL, PHP, Python
Conversant:
Java, Bash, C#, R, Scala