Item - 2016.GM10.4
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Government Management Committee on February 22, 2016 and was adopted with amendments.
GM10.4 - Open Data in the City
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Government Management Committee requested the City Clerk and the Chief Information Officer to:
1. Report to the Government Management Committee regarding the possible incorporation of the following into the City of Toronto Open Data Policy:
a. Include adopting and enforcing the OPEN BY DEFAULT standard similar to the Province of Ontario.
b. Set specific targets and deadlines within a 4-Year Plan.
c. Require Data Quality – not just Quantity counts.
d. Continue to identify and promote a staff member as the Open Data Champion.
e. Make Open Data deliverables part of all RFPs for Software and Services.
f. Make Open Data deliverables part of all Management Performance Reviews, implemented through the City Manager and/or Executive Director, Human Resources, as part of the Management Control Checklist.
g. Provide progress updates every 6-months to the Government Management Committee.
h. Assess the City’s open data maturity level using the Open Data Institute’s Pathway tool.
i. Build a proper open data portal by implementing user friendly technologies like CKAN/DKAN or Socrata.
j. Include the name and contact information for the maintainer of each dataset.
k. Publish datasets using common standards which are in use in other jurisdictions.
l. Negotiate the right to publish any original data collected or created by third parties.
m. Review all IT systems and identify any which cannot currently output open data, and either fix it or replace it with one that can.
n. Datasets should always be posted as open data before they are used to enable City built apps or websites.
o. Make community outreach and event participation part of the job description for staff involved with open data and open government.
p. Allocate funds to enable and support community open data and civic tech initiatives.
q. A dedicated Civic Tech Advocate.
r. Create an advisory board for open data.
s. Implement a mechanism to allow access to historical data for any open datasets currently provided only as snapshots.
t. Release as many of the large number of datasets in demand as possible, as they would be valuable additions to the open data portal.
2. Hold a community consultation and information meeting on the Open Data in the City Policy and opportunities for public engagement and participation.
Origin
Summary
The City of Toronto is one of the Canadian pioneers of municipal Open Data. Since 2009 the City of Toronto partnered with Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa in developing a framework for open data across Canada. This engagement has led to shared experiences through the Public Sector Open Data community of practice (comprising the Province of Ontario and Ontario Municipalities), the adoption of a Canada-wide Open Government licence and development of the City's Open Data Policy as part of its Information Management Framework.
Now, with over 200 datasets representing 560 data files published, the engagement of 41 Divisions, City Agencies and Commissions contributing data, and increasing engagement with developers, academia and the general public, the City's Open Data initiative has maintained a respected place among Canadian municipalities.
In a recent ranking of Canadian Municipalities on Open Data, the Canadian Open Cities Index (https://www.publicsectordigest.com/articles/view/1547) ranked Toronto in second place overall, with a strong showing in the implementation category. Despite these achievements, the number of datasets published annually has reached a plateau, and there remain challenges to growing the number of datasets annually. Additionally, there is no common standard measurement for how the total number of datasets is counted. For example, if there are five years of data in one dataset, Toronto counts this as one dataset, while New York City would count it as five.
This report provides an overview of Open Data and the City's Open Data initiative; outlines the key priorities for the immediate future; and provides approaches to meeting these priorities.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-90358.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/gm/comm/communicationfile-58897.pdf
(February 22, 2016) Submission from Yale Fox, Rentlogic (GM.New.GM10.4.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/gm/comm/communicationfile-58942.pdf
(February 22, 2016) Submission from Richard Pietro (GM.New.GM10.4.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/gm/comm/communicationfile-59026.pdf
Speakers
Richard Pietro
Yale Fox, Rentlogic
Devin Tu, MapYourProperty
Gabe Sawhney, Urban+Digital
Brian F. Kelcey, (State of the City Research)Toronto Board of Trade
Mark J. Richardson
Motions
That Recommendation 1 in the report (February 5, 2016) from the City Clerk and the Chief Information Officer be replaced with the following:
1. The City Clerk and the Chief Information Officer be requested to hold a community consultation and information meeting on the Open Data in the City Policy and opportunities for public engagement and participation.
That the City Clerk and the Chief Information Officer report to the Government Management Committee regarding the possible incorporation of the following into the City of Toronto Open Data Policy:
1. Include adopting and enforcing the OPEN BY DEFAULT standard similar to the Province of Ontario.
2. Set specific targets and deadlines within a 4-Year Plan.
3. Require Data Quality – not just Quantity counts.
4. Continue to identify and promote a staff member as the Open Data Champion.
5. Make Open Data deliverables part of all RFPs for Software and Services.
6. Make Open Data deliverables part of all Management Performance Reviews, implemented through the City Manager and/or Executive Director, Human Resources, as part of the Management Control Checklist.
7. Provide progress updates every 6-months to the Government Management Committee.
8. Assess the City’s open data maturity level using the Open Data Institute’s Pathway tool.
9. Build a proper open data portal by implementing user friendly technologies like CKAN/DKAN or Socrata.
10. Include the name and contact information for the maintainer of each dataset.
11. Publish datasets using common standards which are in use in other jurisdictions.
12. Negotiate the right to publish any original data collected or created by third parties.
13. Review all IT systems and identify any which cannot currently output open data, and either fix it or replace it with one that can.
14. Datasets should always be posted as open data before they are used to enable City built apps or websites.
15. Make community outreach and event participation part of the job description for staff involved with open data and open government.
16. Allocate funds to enable and support community open data and civic tech initiatives.
17. A dedicated Civic Tech Advocate.
18. Create an advisory board for open data.
19. Implement a mechanism to allow access to historical data for any open datasets currently provided only as snapshots.
20. Release as many of the large number of datasets in demand as possible, as they would be valuable additions to the open data portal.