February 7, 2014 – Halifax – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
The Government is lending support for the first national Open Data appathon—the Canadian Open Data Experience, or CODE—featuring federal data. Today at Dalhousie University, Minister Clement joined faculty and tech entrepreneurs to discuss the upcoming CODE appathon, and how to best leverage Open Data to benefit Canadians. This appathon is open to all Canadians—students, developers and IT enthusiasts—who will form teams challenged to turn valuable Government of Canada data into beneficial and user-friendly apps.
Promoting technological advances that could result in new businesses, encourage economic expansion and springboard fresh opportunities, like using data to save time and be more efficient, aligns with the Government of Canada's push toward innovation and job creation. Open Data has potential social benefits, such as making it easier to access information on crucial services or funding, so that Canadians know where to go for help when they need it.
The Government of Canada is continually releasing new data sets through data.gc.ca, Canada's federal Open Data Portal. Currently there are close to 200,000 data sets available on a wide range of topics, from immigration to oceanography, to health, business, and transportation.
Heather Domereckyj
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
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