Canada Post letter - Final Push

[Aaron Freeman]

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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[James McKinney-4]

What this letter sent?

Another opportunity to push for the postal code database is to get Scott Brison to respond during the Google Hangout tomorrow at 1pm EST. Here’s my retweet of Alex Lougheed’s 3-part question: https://twitter.com/mckinneyjames/status/717452616750473220

Also, please suggest that this dataset be released in the current open government consultation: http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

I would do it myself, but I think it’s strategically better for there to be a diversity of voices, as the Treasury Board already hears a lot from me. So please submit the idea and share the link so we can all vote it up. It’s already the most wanted dataset.

James

On Mar 10, 2016, at 9:25 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

<postal code open data letter FINAL.pdf>

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" class="">[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" class="">[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" class="">[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" class="">[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" class="">[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" class="">[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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[Aaron Freeman]

The letter was sent in, and we await the response.  

Unfortunately I won’t be able to join the hangout.

If someone could raise it that would be much appreciated.

Aa

On Apr 5, 2016, at 6:03 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

What this letter sent?

Another opportunity to push for the postal code database is to get Scott Brison to respond during the Google Hangout tomorrow at 1pm EST. Here’s my retweet of Alex Lougheed’s 3-part question: https://twitter.com/mckinneyjames/status/717452616750473220

Also, please suggest that this dataset be released in the current open government consultation: http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

I would do it myself, but I think it’s strategically better for there to be a diversity of voices, as the Treasury Board already hears a lot from me. So please submit the idea and share the link so we can all vote it up. It’s already the most wanted dataset.

James

On Mar 10, 2016, at 9:25 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

<postal code open data letter FINAL.pdf>

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" class="">[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" class="">[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" class="">[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" class="">[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" class="">[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" class="">[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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[James McKinney-4]

You have until May 15 to submit the idea to the consultation :) http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

On Apr 5, 2016, at 8:12 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

The letter was sent in, and we await the response.  

Unfortunately I won’t be able to join the hangout.

If someone could raise it that would be much appreciated.

Aa

On Apr 5, 2016, at 6:03 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

What this letter sent?

Another opportunity to push for the postal code database is to get Scott Brison to respond during the Google Hangout tomorrow at 1pm EST. Here’s my retweet of Alex Lougheed’s 3-part question: https://twitter.com/mckinneyjames/status/717452616750473220

Also, please suggest that this dataset be released in the current open government consultation: http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

I would do it myself, but I think it’s strategically better for there to be a diversity of voices, as the Treasury Board already hears a lot from me. So please submit the idea and share the link so we can all vote it up. It’s already the most wanted dataset.

James

On Mar 10, 2016, at 9:25 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

<postal code open data letter FINAL.pdf>

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" class="">[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" class="">[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" class="">[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" class="">[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" class="">[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" class="">[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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[James McKinney-4]

FYI, Richard Pietro submitted the idea of releasing postal code data here: http://open.canada.ca/en/idea/postal-codes-0

You can vote it up and comment!

On Apr 5, 2016, at 8:13 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

You have until May 15 to submit the idea to the consultation :) http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

On Apr 5, 2016, at 8:12 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

The letter was sent in, and we await the response.  

Unfortunately I won’t be able to join the hangout.

If someone could raise it that would be much appreciated.

Aa

On Apr 5, 2016, at 6:03 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

What this letter sent?

Another opportunity to push for the postal code database is to get Scott Brison to respond during the Google Hangout tomorrow at 1pm EST. Here’s my retweet of Alex Lougheed’s 3-part question: https://twitter.com/mckinneyjames/status/717452616750473220

Also, please suggest that this dataset be released in the current open government consultation: http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

I would do it myself, but I think it’s strategically better for there to be a diversity of voices, as the Treasury Board already hears a lot from me. So please submit the idea and share the link so we can all vote it up. It’s already the most wanted dataset.

James

On Mar 10, 2016, at 9:25 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

<postal code open data letter FINAL.pdf>

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" class="">[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" class="">[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" class="">[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" class="">[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" class="">[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" class="">[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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[Aaron Freeman]

Well-written piece, James.  I added a comment supporting you on it.  

On Apr 5, 2016, at 8:13 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

You have until May 15 to submit the idea to the consultation :) http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

On Apr 5, 2016, at 8:12 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

The letter was sent in, and we await the response.  

Unfortunately I won’t be able to join the hangout.

If someone could raise it that would be much appreciated.

Aa

On Apr 5, 2016, at 6:03 PM, James McKinney <[hidden email]> wrote:

What this letter sent?

Another opportunity to push for the postal code database is to get Scott Brison to respond during the Google Hangout tomorrow at 1pm EST. Here’s my retweet of Alex Lougheed’s 3-part question: https://twitter.com/mckinneyjames/status/717452616750473220

Also, please suggest that this dataset be released in the current open government consultation: http://open.canada.ca/en/consultations/suggest-new-idea-action-plan-open-government

I would do it myself, but I think it’s strategically better for there to be a diversity of voices, as the Treasury Board already hears a lot from me. So please submit the idea and share the link so we can all vote it up. It’s already the most wanted dataset.

James

On Mar 10, 2016, at 9:25 PM, Aaron Freeman <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry for the deluge on this.  Here’s another version of the final, with the folks who have signed on so far.  Great that you were all so responsive.  I figured it might help to get others on board if they see some respectable names already on the letter.

Let’s do a push to get any friends on board, including through social media, and then send it off in the next few days.  If we can each make a couple of personal appeals to profs, businesses or organizations who might sign on, that’d be great.

Thanks again!

Aa

<postal code open data letter FINAL.pdf>

 

**DATE

 

Hon. Judy Foote

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A2

 

Dear Minister Foote,

 

We are writing to urge the Government of Canada to direct Canada Post to release an important dataset under the Government’s open data initiative. 

 

Canadians have been asking for the release of Canada Post’s Postal Code Database for many years.  This database contains the shape files and attributes of postal codes – including the geographic longitude and latitude data that allow data users to conduct important research that benefits Canadians.  Despite similar data being made available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" class="">[1], Canada Post has long resisted the release of this data, preferring instead to charge Canadians tens of thousands of dollars to license use of data on a fixed term bases.  These data were created by taxpayer dollars. In fact, when some third parties have created their own databases of postal code files, Canada Post has taken legal action, claiming that the agency “owns” the series of geographic points that make up a postal code.

 

Three years ago, the previous government held an online and in-person consultation asking Canadians their views on releasing the data.<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" class="">[2] 

 

Canadians who responded to the consultation were overwhelmingly in favour of releasing postal code dataset.  Twenty-eight respondents strongly urged the Government to release the data, while not a single intervention recommended continuing to withhold it.

 

The Government’s open data initiative simply responded to these comments by stating, “Thank you for your feedback. We have forwarded your comment to the dataset provider for their response.” Since 2013, neither the open data initiative nor Canada Post have provided any further response.  And in all that time, no reason for withholding the data has been provided. 

 

Canada Post has made accessible the files for Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs), the first three digits of each postal code, as part of a package of core datasets of national importance disseminated by Statistics Canada.  However, their geographic extent can be large in areas with a lower population density, which impedes their use for many research and commercial applications.  Canada Post also continues to claim copyright in these data, which limits how they can be used.

 

There are countless areas where the failure to provide the full postal code dataset has stifled innovation and other endeavours that are in the public interest.  Without the dataset, one respondent on the Government’s site was unable to develop a not-for-profit referral application to help Canadians to find a family doctor.  According to another respondent:

 

Many environmental hazards that affect business decisions, insurance rates, urban flash flooding risk are hoarded by owners who are public bodies. … Postal code polygons should be available freely … so they can be used to efficiently educate and inform the public of spatial risks to society. Without postal codes, there is no other way to effectively communicate risks at the right scale - addresses are too fine, census tracts are too broad. Society can make better decisions with better data - the licensing cost of postal codes is a barrier to use<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" class="">[3].

 

We are encouraged by the direction in your mandate letter, and in those of your Cabinet colleagues, that “Government and its information should be open by default.”  We hope this leads to the government turning the corner on the unjustifiable withholding of data from applications of benefit to the public.

 

The Postal Code Database, including shapefiles and other attributes, is a public asset that belongs in the hands of the public.  We hope you will consider making this dataset fully open immediately, in the spirit of the openness that your Government has put forward.

 

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Fewer, Director
CIPPIC, the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa

 

Aaron Freeman

Principal, Pivot Strategic Consulting Inc.

 

Mike Gifford

President, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. 

 

Colleen Hardwick

PlaceSpeak

 

Tracey P. Lauriault

Assistant Professor

School of Journalism and Communication

Carleton University

 

Russell McOrmond

FLORA.org, Digital-Copyright.ca

 

Dr. Teresa Scassa

Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

 

 

cc.        The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

            Deepak Chopra, CEO, Canada Post

            Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic

Development

            Hon. Stephane Dion, Minister of International Affairs

            Hon. Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada

---

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" class="">[1]  See Location Datasets on the Open Knowledge Foundation Open Data Index http://index.okfn.org/place/

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" class="">[2] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

<a href="x-msg://53/#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" class="">[3] See http://open.canada.ca/en/suggested-datasets/postal-code-database

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