Statement by the President of the Treasury Board to Mark International Open Data Day, 2015

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2015) - Treasury Board President Tony Clement issued the following statement today to mark International Open Data Day, 2015:

"International Open Data Day is the perfect opportunity to appreciate how open data can support Canada's long-term prosperity.

Canada's Open Government Action Plan 2014-16 delivers on our commitment to provide more and better access to federal data. Through Canada's Open Government Portal, open.canada.ca, creative Canadians can draw inspiration from thousands of datasets from over 40 departments and organizations to create new applications that can benefit society.

This weekend at the second national Canadian Open Data Experience (CODE 2015), innovators are using federal government data and data from other levels of government to develop consumer-friendly apps under three themes: Youth, Commerce and Quality of Life.

Events such as CODE highlight the Government of Canada's commitment to getting open data into the hands of entrepreneurs and data enthusiasts, as well as enabling Canadians to unlock the potential of this new natural resource of the 21st century.

The sky is truly the limit with open data. Our Government is proud to play a leading role in this global phenomenon. I congratulate and encourage all those participating in open data activities around the world, and I look forward to seeing the innovative applications that will be created."

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