front de liberation de codes postal

[Elli MacDonald]

Thanks Tracey,

We are still in contact with one of the consultants. There are some
documents about the tool - I think - the technical level of the writing is
too complex for my limited knowledge however, so I'm not entirely sure! We
definitely have description of all the data sets though.

Thank you for your kind offer - I'll up date you when we are at that stage.

Cheers,

Elli

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Tracey P.
Lauriault
Sent: February 16, 2007 12:35 PM
To: civicaccess discuss
Subject: Re: [CivicAccess-discuss] front de liberation de codes postal

Some interesting work!

Do you still have contacts with the consultants?  Also did they leave
any documentation kicking around about the tool?  I like the data sets
you have up there. I can gladly help you with a few data requirements,
metadata and references etc. that i see missing here. If and when you
are ready for that kind of information let me know, there are a few
things you could get whomever decides to work with you to add those
pretty easily.

Cheers
t


Elli MacDonald wrote:
> Whoops sorry - the link is www.enviroplace.ca .
>
> The GIS application on the site has a number of different data sets
> (National Pollutant Release Inventory data, census of agriculture,
> socio-economic data, beach status, waste, local industry air and water
> pollutant release data ...) which can be mapped, graphed and tabulated.
The
> application was initially developed for the graphing function, so that the
> public could really get into the data. The mapping part came later and is
> definitely not as functional as the graphing tool. We would like to make
the
> application more user-friendly and make more data sets available.
> Unfortunately the person who was our data management mastermind is no
longer

> with us - so this is an area where we are looking for help also.
>
> We started the project in Sarnia due to the chemical industry there but we
> are planning to extend the scope geographically.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Elli
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Tracey P.
> Lauriault
> Sent: February 16, 2007 11:22 AM
> To: civicaccess discuss
> Subject: Re: [CivicAccess-discuss] front de liberation de codes postal
>
> If would be great if you could send us a link to your site and also
> explain the nature of your tool.
>
>
> Elli MacDonald wrote:
>  
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> I have been following (trying to follow :-))your discussions, which have
>> been very educational for me. I'm a bit of a newbie in this area and am
>> looking for some advice if possible.
>>
>> I work for an environmental not-for-profit organisation on a
>>    
> community-based
>  
>> GIS project. The Enviroplace website provides data and discussions on a
>> range of environmental topics, for the purpose of educating communities

on

>> the state of their local environment and to share environmental data with
>> local communities. We want the site to be an example of how public data
>> should be freely available and presented in a way, which allows local
>> communities to be empowered to become involved in the environment around
>> them and the decisions being made on their behalf.
>>
>> To make a long story short! We have a mapping application that was
>>    
> developed
>  
>> for us by a consultant a few years ago, based on open source software,
>>    
> which
>  
>> allows the users to explore a large variety of different environmental,
>> standardized, data sets (government, industry, conservation authorities,
>> local health units, etc). The site has so far been successful, however,
>>    
> the
>  
>> site is a pilot and we would like to develop it further. Open source
>> capability has obviously improved considerably since our application was
>> developed, so we would like to work with someone to improve the present
>> application or, if necessary, start afresh and develop a new open source
>> application.  Either way I was hoping you may be able to able to give me
>> some ideas or advise me on someone who would be interested in helping us.
>>
>> Look forward to hearing from you.
>>
>> Elli
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [hidden email]
>> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Tracey

P.

>> Lauriault
>> Sent: February 9, 2007 10:56 AM
>> To: civicaccess discuss
>> Subject: Re: [CivicAccess-discuss] front de liberation de codes postal
>>
>> Excellent!
>>
>> For myself and others who are just learning how these things all come
>> together i hope we can all leave a few breadcrumbs on the wiki soz we
>> can find our way around and build on that knowledge later and for other
>> initiatives.
>> t
>>
>> Hugh McGuire wrote:
>>  
>>    
>>> of course it's a civicaccess action ;-) !
>>>
>>> actually thinking about this... and this is how I envision  
>>> CivicAccess progressing... as a central place where the spokes of  
>>> many different projects all join with a shared belief in free data  
>>> access. but we really need the projects (some exist already, eg:  
>>> howdtheyvote.ca, openpolitics.ca, netizen-news.ca etc; some could be  
>>> new initiatives of/inspired by civicaccess ... or just related to the  
>>> mission).
>>>
>>> h.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Feb 9, 2007, at 10:34 AM, Tracey P. Lauriault wrote:
>>>
>>>  
>>>    
>>>      
>>>> I think this is a great idea and I would really like it if could be
>>>> considered as as CivicAccess or COACID action.
>>>>
>>>> For those who might be able to get something like this off the ground.
>>>> There is tons of great information here:
>>>> http://civicaccess.ca/wiki/CensusAction
>>>>
>>>> It was an activity primarily aimed at the CENSUS however some of the
>>>> documentation can be used for the Free the Postal Code Data as well  
>>>> and
>>>> there was some good discussion.
>>>>
>>>> I created a spot for people to collaborate here:
>>>> http://civicaccess.ca/wiki/Actions,  I did not know how you wanted to
>>>> call it or what the tagline should so edit away.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hugh McGuire wrote:
>>>>    
>>>>      
>>>>        
>>>>> I suggest in addition to data cracking/hacking work, we consider
>>>>> writing an open letter to the government agencies & ministers,
>>>>> opposition MPs, and journalists, and try to put some pressure on. And
>>>>> get an online petition going (I don't think they do much, but they
>>>>> give something for bloggers to link to). This should be accompanied
>>>>> by a concerted attempt to get specific organizations to support the
>>>>> project (NGOs & universities, but also, say, the Bloc, the NDP, maybe
>>>>> even the now-oppositional Liberals).
>>>>>
>>>>> perhaps a url? FLCP.ca ... Front de Liberation Code Postal ... it's
>>>>> available! ;).
>>>>>
>>>>> Again, this "tiny" little data project demonstrates so clearly the
>>>>> dunderheadedness of Canada's govt data policies, in a way that many
>>>>> people could understand.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>>>>> [hidden email]
>>>>> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess- 
>>>>> discuss_civicaccess.ca
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>      
>>>>>        
>>>>>          
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>>>> [hidden email]
>>>> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess- 
>>>> discuss_civicaccess.ca
>>>>    
>>>>      
>>>>        
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>>> [hidden email]
>>>

http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca

>>>
>>>
>>>  
>>>    
>>>      
>> _______________________________________________
>> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>> [hidden email]
>> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>> [hidden email]
>> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca
>>
>>
>>  
>>    
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
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>
>
>
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> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
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>
>
>  

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[Cory Horner]

Elli MacDonald wrote:

> I work for an environmental not-for-profit organisation on a community-based
> GIS project. The Enviroplace website provides data and discussions on a
> range of environmental topics, for the purpose of educating communities on
> the state of their local environment and to share environmental data with
> local communities. We want the site to be an example of how public data
> should be freely available and presented in a way, which allows local
> communities to be empowered to become involved in the environment around
> them and the decisions being made on their behalf.
>
> To make a long story short! We have a mapping application that was developed
> for us by a consultant a few years ago, based on open source software, which
> allows the users to explore a large variety of different environmental,
> standardized, data sets (government, industry, conservation authorities,
> local health units, etc). The site has so far been successful, however, the
> site is a pilot and we would like to develop it further. Open source
> capability has obviously improved considerably since our application was
> developed, so we would like to work with someone to improve the present
> application or, if necessary, start afresh and develop a new open source
> application.  Either way I was hoping you may be able to able to give me
> some ideas or advise me on someone who would be interested in helping us.
>  

Cool!

Which way are you leaning on this Elli, gathering volunteers and
proceeding, or gathering a bundle of gov't cash and doing an overhaul?

Hopefully this isn't perceived as poaching, but if you're looking for
new consultants, I work for Refractions Research
(http://www.refractions.net) which specializes in the area of
open-source GIS.  We've done some similar projects including
"Populations at Risk" for the UN FAO (food and agriculture org).

Personally, i'd really like to work on such a project -- it's a nice mix
of geospatial with civic-access goals, but there are so many cool
projects to work on, and only so much volunteer time :(

Cheers,
Cory.