Canada Launches Second Action Plan on Open Government

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 6, 2014) - Today, the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, announced the launch of Canada's Action Plan on Open Government 2.0 after almost six months of public consultation and engagement. Action Plan 2.0 builds on past successes and includes 12 detailed commitments that will take Canada's leadership in open government to the next level over the next two years and beyond.

Canada's Action Plan on Open Government 2.0 includes new commitments on open dialogue to take advantage of technology that lets governments connect faster and more easily with citizens. Other elements of the Action Plan open up information on federally funded scientific research, government spending and contracting data, and more.

Through these initiatives, organized in three streams, Canada will create a more cost-effective, transparent and responsive government that reflects Canadians' views and encourages their continued participation in government.

Quick Facts

Canada's second Action Plan on Open Government has been supported by broad on-line and in-person consultation (April 24 - October 20, 2014) with Canadians, members of civil society, and the private sector in cities across the country.
Open government in Canada is organized under three streams: open information, open dialogue, and open data.
Action Plan 2.0 includes the re-launch of Canada's Open Government Portal, with a new look and feel, enhanced functionality and additional upgraded capabilities that can now be found at open.canada.ca.
Through open.canada.ca you can find and use government information and data to develop innovative applications, create value-added analysis, and drive social and economic benefits.
The Action Plan 2.0 commitments also include working across jurisdictions in Canada to create a "no-wrong-door approach" for open data, establishing common standards and principles, launching the Open Data Exchange (ODX) to support Canada's commercial open data ecosystem, making federally funded science publications and data searchable, developing a better platform for consulting with Canadians, and much more.
Canada has been a member of the Open Government Partnership, which now includes over 60 countries worldwide, since April 2012.

Quotes

"The action plan includes 12 ambitious commitments that we will implement over the next two years and beyond, including the Directive on Open Government which will apply to over 100 federal institutions. Going forward, "open by default" will be the position for the release of government data and information of business and economic value."

Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board