Thunder Bay Open Data

Watch an overview of Thunder Bay's Open Data Portal

 What is open data?

Open data is digital data that is freely available, without restrictions from copyright or patents, to everyone to use, reuse and redistribute under the open data licence, anytime and anywhere. Datasets, available within the open data portal, are provided as source data in the format and state that they currently exist, unless privacy, contractual, security, privilege, confidential, or other limitations restrict the release or parts of the data in the dataset. 

Digital data, referred to as datasets, are provided in a format that is machine-readable, and may include formats such as CSV, XML, JSON, Shapefiles, or APIs. This data, unlike human-readable formats, such as PDFs or HTML pages, can be loaded, analyzed or repurposed by computer applications to provide further analysis, generate insights or used to develop software applications. The City of Thunder Bay’s available datasets can be accessed through the City’s open data portal.

What are the benefits of open data?

Open data has the potential to advance City operations and benefit residents. Open data can provide the following benefits: 

Transparency and accountability

People want to know what government is doing. To do that, they must be able to freely access public data and information and be able to share that information. By opening up data, citizens are enabled to be much more directly informed and involved in decision-making. Open access to data can aid in unifying our community and empowering citizens to help shape the city’s future. 

Improved effectiveness and efficiency of services

Data can be used to do research, analysis and provide insight into municipal operations. This can help to solve issues or identify issues that we may not know we have. For example. Energy consumption, traffic counts, bus stop locations or budget information. It also creates operational efficiencies for some of our departments as it will cut down on data requests. Open Data portal = Self Service. 

Innovation and economic development

Data is a key resource for social and commercial activities. Open data, can help drive the creation of innovative business and services that deliver social and commercial value. In addition, the data can be used as the foundation to create Software Applications or Mobile Apps. 

Quality of life for citizens

Access Applications that use Open data or just having access to the open data itself. 

Learn more in the blog: 5 Benefits of Open Government Data.

 What is open government?

Open government is the idea of making government more accessible to the public. It is based on the principles of:

• transparency
• integrity
• accountability
• stakeholder participation

Open government enhances citizen participation in policy making and designing services. It also helps government to be more responsive to citizens.

Learn more: FAQs about open government

 Who can use the open data datasets?

Everyone is able to access, use, and share the datasets that are provided. Examples of groups and instances where this data may be used is by software developers to build applications, or researchers, media, educational institutes and the public to perform analysis, identify trends over time, or to look into how different parts of government go about their work. It is your responsibility when using the data, to take into consideration the possible limitations of each dataset, as it may have been created for a different purpose and scale.

 What is not included in the open data datasets?

Each of the datasets are reviewed by the Open Data Committee prior to being published. Each dataset is reviewed to ensure it does not contain any of the following information:

• Personal information
• Data that can identify an individual
• Confidential information
• Data that may pose a security concern or risk

 What datasets are available and how do I request a dataset?

Available Datasets

The City of Thunder Bay has provided an initial set of datasets for release in a number of different formats. These were selected as they were readily available and free from any restrictions. There will be an ongoing process to review and expand on the number of datasets that are available on the site. View the available datasets through the Open Data Portal. A search option is provided to find a specific dataset, or the categories can be reviewed to determine what is available.

Request a Dataset 

If you would like to have a dataset considered for request, submit a Request a Dataset through the online form and provide details about the information you are requesting. Contact information should be provided in the event follow-up is necessary.

 How accurate is the data available on the portal?

Prior to the use of the data within the portal, please read the open data licence. By downloading data from the portal, you agree to the terms, and you are responsible for validating the data you have downloaded and are planning to use.

Using Information under this licence

 1. Use of any Information indicates Your acceptance of the terms below.

 2. The Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay (the “City”) grants you a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive licence to Use the Information provided for any purpose, including for commercial purposes, subject to the terms below.

 3. This licence does not affect any copyright exceptions or limitations available under the Copyright Act (Canada).

You are free to:

 4. Copy, modify, publish, translate, adapt, distribute or otherwise Use the Information, including for commercial purposes, in any medium, mode, or format for any lawful purpose.

You must, where you do any of the above:

 5. Acknowledge the source of the Information by including the following attribution statement in a suitable location and, where possible, provide a link to this licence.

“Contains information licensed under the Open Data Licence – The Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay.”

 6. Upon the request of the City, remove any City attribution statement should the City, in its sole discretion, decide that such attribution statement is not in the public interest.

 7. Not misrepresent the Information or its source.

 8. Use the Information in compliance with all applicable laws and in a manner that is not harmful to others.

 9. The terms of this licence are important and if You fail to comply with any of them, the rights granted to You under this licence, or any similar licence granted by the City, will end automatically.

Exemptions

10. This licence does not grant You any:

a. right to Use Personal Information;

b. right to Use Information or records that are not accessible under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, or any other act or by-law;

c. third party rights that the City is not authorized to license;

d. right to Use the names, crests, logos, or other official symbols of the City; and

e. right to Use Information subject to other intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights, trade-marks, trade secrets, and official marks.

Non-endorsement

11. This licence does not grant You any right to Use the Information in a way that suggests any official status or that the City endorses You or Your Use of the Information.

No warranty

12. The Information is licensed "as is" and the City excludes all representations, warranties, obligations, and liabilities, whether express or implied, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

13. The City does not guarantee that the Information will be available in any particular format nor that the Information will continue to be available.

14. The City is not liable for any errors or omissions in the Information, and will not, under any circumstances, be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other loss, injury or damage caused by its use or otherwise arising in connection with this licence or the Information, even if specifically advised of the possibility of such loss, injury or damage.

Governing law

15. This licence is governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario.

16. Legal proceedings related to this licence may only be brought in the courts of Ontario.

Definitions

17. In this licence, the terms below have the following meanings:

a. "Information" means information, resources, or Records protected by copyright or other information, resources or Records that are offered for use under the terms of this licence;

b. "Personal Information" means “personal information” as defined in section 2 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and includes “personal health information” as defined in section 4 of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004.

c. "Records" means "record" as defined in section 2 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and section 2 of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004;

d. “Use” means doing any act that is restricted by copyright, whether in the original medium or in any other medium, and includes without limitation downloading, distributing, copying, adapting, modifying as may be technically necessary to use it in a different mode or format; and

e. "You" means the natural or legal person, or body of persons corporate or incorporate, as applicable, acquiring rights under this licence and “Your” is the possessive tense of You.

Versioning

18. This is version 1.0 of the City’s Open Data Licence. The City may make changes to the terms of this licence, from time to time, and issue a new version of the licence. Your Use of the Information will be governed by the terms of the licence in force as of the date You accessed the Information.

Date: March 12, 2020