Road Show for CODE 2015 Engages Montréal's Open Data Community

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - Jan. 29, 2015) - Today, Treasury Board President Tony Clement reached out to the innovators, entrepreneurs, and students of the open data community of Montréal to showcase the social and economic benefits of CODE 2015. Coinciding with International Open Data Day, Canada is inviting its entrepreneurial communities to come together from February 20 to 22 for the second Canadian Open Data Experience (CODE) appathon, which last year saw over 900 participants.

The CODE appathon will challenge teams to mash up federal data, readily available on the Government of Canada's Open Government Portal (open.canada.ca), as well as data from other levels of government. Their task is to creatively repurpose government data and put it back into the hands of Canadians in a more user-friendly "app" form. It is one of many interactive initiatives by the Government of Canada to promote and support open data for the benefit of all Canadians.

The Montréal stop was organized in partnership with MTL NewTech, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the startup ecosystem in Montréal, and hosted by With-Intent "Startups +PlusMontreal" at La Commune, a cooperative co-working space in the heart of Old-Port Montréal. Alongside Minister Clement, many prominent speakers from various fields encouraged local talent to create solutions for Canadians through participation in CODE 2015.

Quick Facts

• Registration for the appathon is currently live on XMG's official CODE website.
• CODE 2015 themes focus on Youth, Commerce, and Quality of Life.
• CODE is hosted by XMG Studio, one of Canada's largest independent mobile gaming studios.
• Winners will share a total of $40,000 in prizes, with a grand prize of $15,000. Prize money will also include $5,000 for each of the following categories:
• Youth;
• Commerce;
• Quality of Life;
• Best Student Team; and
• Fan Favorite.
• Participants can take part in three ways: apply to attend the 48-hour event at one of three VIP HUBs in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal; register to participate from a space made available by CODE supporters; or participate virtually online.
• Open Data is one of the three major pillars of Canada's Action Plan on Open Government 2.0. The others are Open Information and Open Dialogue.

Quotes

"CODE is a great example of how the Government of Canada is promoting and supporting the public use of open data. It's an extremely valuable resource. Working together, we can help to ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of the global open data movement."

• Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board

"Through policies like Digital Canada 150 and the Canadian Open Data Experience, our government has taken steps to ensure that Canada is a leader in the digital age. The developers participating in CODE 2015 will create simpler and quicker ways for Canadians to access services and information when and where they need them, through today's cutting-edge digital technology. CODE 2015 is an incredible program that showcases Canadian talent in the digital realm, and the real potential it offers for continued job creation and economic growth."

• James Moore, Minister of Industry

"Montréal is one of Canada's most innovative technology hubs and a city where industry has embraced the 21st century with open arms. Open data being the 'innovation currency' of our generation, I am especially excited to see what solutions these brilliant minds may come up with using Canada's open data."

• Ray Sharma, Founder and Chairman of XMG Studio Inc.

"Data allows us to measure, understand, and ultimately improve things. The CODE 2015 hackathon is an amazing opportunity for the developer communities across the country to come together and build something great. Coders, designers, and citizens, let's work together, have fun for 48 hours, and who knows, launch Canada's next big open data start-up! Rendez-vous Feburary 20th!"

• Ilias Benjelloun, Creative Director at MTL NewTech

Related Products

Canadian Open Data Experience {CODE}

Open Data Portal

Canada's Action Plan on Open Government

For more information on the CODE 2014 experience, please check out our CODE 2014 Event page. You can also read current and past blogs on CODE:

Your Challenge for CODE 2015

{CODE}2014 First Place Team Member Jason Ernst Shares His Experience

{CODE}2014 Runner-Up Kevin Quan: My Experience

The CODE Winning Teams

Why is CODE Important?

Associated Links

XMG's official CODE website

La Commune website