Open data: A window onto the municipal arena
Montréal freely shares the data it collects. Open data makes municipal activities more transparent, promotes economic development, helps meet urban challenges, and encourages citizen participation.
The city collects and uses data as part of its day-to-day activities. These data, in part, make it possible to improve services to residents. By making its data available to the public, Montréal encourages their reuse in order to better collaborate and develop new tools with added value for the community.
The principle of openness by default is the cornerstone of the city’s open data policy. Any data that may be useful to the community must be made public, except in cases related, for example, to the protection of personal information, confidentiality and security.
By facilitating access to municipal data through its open data Web site, Montréal ensures government transparency, allows residents to better understand how their city operates, and builds trust in our public institution.
Types of data available through the city
Data are published on pace with requests from residents and in keeping with current issues or the city’s operational needs. They can also be posted online, in accordance with laws and regulations.
Municipal departments and boroughs boast expertise in numerous areas. In keeping with this reality, the data available span a wide variety of subjects, including information on mobility, public safety, procurement contracts and sanitation inspections, to go along with data specific to public services, such as the location of parks and sports facilities. Automated mechanisms serve to keep data up to date so that they remain relevant to the people using them.
Viewing tools (e.g., graphics, tables, maps) make it possible to interact with data and learn more about local environments. For example, users can:
- learn about local play spaces;
- check air quality for more vulnerable people;
- find out more about municipal activities by browsing the contracts awarded.
An inventory available on the open data Web site features datasets compiled to date by the city. It can be viewed to contact the city for specific information.
What is a datum
A datum is a representation of an information item, coded in a format that allows it to be processed by a computer. Data often come in the form of statistics or indicators that help better understand a situation or make an informed decision.
The city facilitates access to and the use of its data by publishing them, at no charge, in free-format, non-proprietary mode and by authorizing their use in any setting, even for commercial purposes.
To find out more about the related procedures, please view the open data Web site.
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