1. Open Data
- a Strategic Opportunity for
Municipalities
Fawn Annan, President
IT World Canada
Jury Konga,
Open Data Research Advisory
Council

2. What is Open Data
• Open Data is about access, transparency
& leveraging municipal government data
– it’s a strategic asset
• Accessible as digital data via web &
mobile
• Open data is pervasive – from World Bank
to all levels of government … municipal
government are leaders

3. Where is Open Data?

4. Where is Open Data?

5. Why Open Data in Municipalities?
• Open Data can offer efficiencies, enhanced
service delivery & economic development
opportunities
• Municipalities are the front line for service and
must be more proactive & innovative
• Majority of citizens, all living in municipalities,
are looking for government to enhance their e-
service delivery (web, smart phones, sensors),
intelligent systems & communities

6. Why Open Data in Municipalities?
• Government efficiencies & effectiveness
o Cross-departmental access to internal data, reduced
costs related to data requests, assists systems
integration
• Enhanced service delivery
o Direct access to government information – self
service model, new software applications for citizens
• Economic development opportunities
o Technology start-ups, Data VARs,
Sector innovation & jobs

7. Why Open Data in Municipalities?
• “The market for mobile apps … its growth will
accelerate in the future to reach $ US 35 billion in
2015. It is to be one of the fastest growing segments in
the information technology market. “ European
Commission Pricing Of Public Sector Information Study,
October 2011
• What feeds these apps -> open data

8. Some Public facing views of Open Data
Open Data portal & data catalogue Hackathons/Codefests …. Building apps
Citizen & Community Engagement – Unconferences, Govcamps,
Changecamp, Citycamps … defining the issues, identifying opportunities to
improve

9. Active Open Data Community

10. Open Data & Intelligent Communities
&
A
OPEN D
DATA feeds V
O
C
A
C
Y

11. Open Data
Meets Community Development
• The 1st syndicated study to examine ‘Open
Data for Municipalities’ in Canada
• Six of the ten largest Canadian cities have
open data portals today
• This Executive Study will canvass 2
municipal groups - over & under 50,000
in population

12. Key Features of Executive Study
• Municipal priorities
• IT & Service Spending Intentions
• Quantification of Expected Efficiencies
• Uses & Applicability to Municipal
Operations
• Buyer Motives
• Citizen-Led Motives
• Snapshot + Trending (Who is doing
what?)

13. Study Strategic Insights
• Community Expectations: from the Public
about the use of systems and data;
• Municipal Needs: the kinds of systems that
are expected to be on the priority purchase list;
• Decisions: The reason some systems are
chosen and others not;
• Best Practices: Municipal best practices in the
use of the systems
• Municipal Profiles: municipal buyers and the
services they seek.

14. Some Concluding thoughts …
• By 2050, there will be 70% of people living in
urban municipalities, representing 9 billion
humans.
• The need to respond to increasing public
pressure for services is not going away.
• Open Data is becoming one of the critical tools
for service alignment and engagement with
citizenry, and good government.
• We need this study. We need your participation.
• Help us, help you.

15. Our Ask
• Mayors to sit on Advisory Council
• Industry support to raise $190,000 to
properly support the research and expose
the findings throughout Canada, and to all
identified stakeholders.
Thank you,
fannan@itwc.ca berryv@kitchener.ca