Directory

Click on any high-valued category to see associated open data standards

Annual Budget

Municipal budgets that plan for expenditure

Building Permits

Municipal permits for construction

Crime Statistics

Municipal crime data, such as police responses

Election Results

Municipal major election results by consitutency/district

Expenditure

Municipal records of past spendings

Public Facilities

Municipal public amenities, such as schools or parks and their associated location information

Real-Time Transit

Municipal or commissioned transit services' real-time information, such as the location of a bus in real-time

Road Construction

Municipal current and planned road construction

Service Requests

Non-emergency service requests to a municipality, such as a request for graffiti removal

Zoning

Municipal specifications on what development is allowed in a given piece of land

Open Data Standards Definition

An open data standard is a set of specifications (or requirements) for how some sets of data should be made publicly available. Generally, open data standards describe data about a particular subject, for example service requests (Open311) or building permits (BLDS). Like the data they describe, open data standards are generally developed “in the open”, meaning that anyone who is interested has a way to contribute.

Example

Open data standards allow data to be more easily consumed and repurporsed for valuable ends. Consider the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS). Through collaborations with public and private organizations, a standarad for public transporation was developed. Since its establishment, several municipalities across North America have adopted the standard. The GTFS has made it easier for citizens to know what public transportation to take to get to their destination on time.