Open Data
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Questions
- General
- 1. What is Open Data?
- 2. What is the Government of Canada Open Data Portal?
- 3. Is personal information protected?
- 4. How can I search for data on the Open Data Portal?
- 5. What data formats are used on the Open Data Portal?
- 6. Can I obtain specific datasets?
- 7. Will there be more public data available in the future?
- 8. Will improvements be made to the Open Data Portal in the future?
- 9. What is the liability of the Government of Canada respecting data use?
- 10. Who is responsible for the governance and maintenance of the data?
- 11. Is the Open Data Portal still a pilot?
- 12. Will there be future consultations on the Open Data Portal?
- Licence
- Assistance
- Other
Questions and Answers
General
1. What is Open Data?
Open Data is a practice that makes data freely available by way of portals, metadata, and search tools for reuse by governments, citizens, voluntary organizations, academia, and the private sector in new and unanticipated ways.
2. What is the Government of Canada Open Data Portal?
The Open Data Portal is a catalogue of federal government datasets that are available for commercial and non-commercial users, developers and data suppliers to find, evaluate, access, visualize and reuse. This site is the first step in providing access to reusable government data.
We encourage the participation of all citizens to make the Open Data Portal better. How can we improve the portal? Let us know.
3. Is personal information protected?
No, the data published on the Open Data Portal and on related Websites is public data that is not sensitive in nature (i.e. data which is NOT personal or confidential) and does not identify or provide ways to identify individuals.
4. How can I search for data on the Open Data Portal?
There are two ways to find data on the Portal:
- Searching: using the tools « Search » or « Advanced Search », to search by department, subject, category, or file format
- Browsing: by department, subject, or file format
By accessing datasets or tools made available on the Open Data Portal, you agree to the Licence Agreement , which should be read before accessing any data on the site.
5. What data formats are used on the Open Data Portal?
Open Data formats are intended to be machine-readable and are typically XML-based. Data can also be presented in human-readable formats (XLS) that can be read using spreadsheet software and that permit data extraction to facilitate integration with other data sets.
6. Can I obtain specific datasets?
If there are particular datasets that you think should be made available, Suggest a Dataset
7. Will there be more public data available in the future?
Yes, this is just the start. As outlined in Canada's Action Plan on Open Government commitments have been made for the Open Data Portal. During the first year of the Action Plan, the Government of Canada will continue to expand on the number of datasets made available through the existing portal.
8. Will improvements be made to the Open Data Portal in the future?
Yes. The Government of Canada has committed to implement a next generation platform for the delivery of open data in Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government. During the first year of the Action Plan (April 2012-April 2013), the Government of Canada will complete the requirements for the next generation platform. During the following two years, the new data portal will be designed and put in place as well as further improvements to the level of standardization of data published by departments. The Government will make use of user feedback, particularly among Canada's open data community, to ensure that this new open data portal meets the needs and expectations of those who will use it most, and provides the best possible opportunity to support entrepreneurs eager to make use of Government of Canada data.
9. What is the liability of the Government of Canada respecting data use?
The Government of Canada shall have no liability for any damage caused by the use of the data, nor for how the data is used.
10. Who is responsible for the governance and maintenance of the data?
The data published on this portal is made available by Government of Canada departments and Crown corporations. While each of these entities is responsible for managing their own data, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is responsible for the governance, including guidelines and policies, applicable to the data.
With respect to the preservation of the data made available on this site, it is generally subject to the rules governing retention and disposition of government information. This includes, but is not limited to, requirements of the Library and Archives of Canada Act and the disposition authorities issues pursuant to it, the Financial Administration Act and the Treasury Board policies adopted pursuant to it, the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
11. Is the Open Data Portal still a pilot?
The pilot stage of this project was successfully completed in September 2012. The Open Data Portal Pilot was well received and well used. The portal will continue to expand and evolve in order to better serve the public. During the pilot period there were over 1 million user sessions and approximately 150,000 datasets were downloaded As well, the number of participating departments increased from 10 at launch to over 20.
12. Will there be future consultations on the Open Data Portal?
A proposed Open Government Licence is currently posted on this site for public feedback. Future improvements to this site will be based on comments and discussions with the Open Data community and could include widespread consultations.
Licence
13. Who 'owns' the data in the Open Data Portal?
The intellectual property rights of the data belong to the Crown and, exceptionally, to third parties. Additional information regarding the conditions governing the use of the data can be found in the Government of Canada Open Data Licence Agreement.
14. What rights come with the Government of Canada Open Data Licence Agreement?
The Licence Agreement allows the licencee to use, incorporate, grant end-user licences to modify, improve, develop and distribute the data. The licencees must, however, identify the source of the data on their derived products.
15. What is the proposed draft Open Government Licence?
The proposed Open Government Licence allows for unrestricted commercial and non-commercial reuse of information. The proposed licence is consistent with international best practices, and uses simplified language. It is currently provided online for feedback from Canadians. Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government includes a commitment to issuing a new universal Open Government Licence.
16. Can I use the proposed Open Government Licence now when re-using data?
The proposed licence is provided for feedback and informational purposes only. The current licence remains in effect until the proposed licence is finalized and issued.
Assistance
17. Who can I contact for assistance using the Open Data Portal?
If you encounter any difficulties or notice any errors while using the Open Data Portal, or if you require assistance, please Contact Us.
18. How do I report a broken link or corrupted file?
Let us know about any broken links, corrupt files, or any other technical issues you may be experiencing on the site by using the Contact Us page.
Other
19. Are other Frequently Asked Questions available?
Yes. You can also read the GeoConnections FAQ and the GeoGratis FAQ to learn more about geographic datasets and geospatial data.
20. What standards does the Open Data Portal adhere to?
The Open Data Portal adheres to the Dublin Core standard (ISO Standard 15836 /NISO Standard Z39.85-2007) for Web page metadata and to standards for Open Data, namely CSV, XML, and RSS.
