Province of Ontario Access and Privacy Day Session April 15, 2013 The City of Toronto outlines some of its initiatives to be more open and transparent, including the use of open data.

1. ‘So What is Open Government
Anyway?’
City of Toronto:
Practicing the philosophy
Access and Privacy
Day
Province of Ontario
April 15, 2013
Nancy Isozaki and Trish Garner

2. Agenda – City of Toronto
• Local Government, Open Government
• Information Management Framework
• Practicing the Philosophy
• Open Data

3. Local Government
• Most transparent level of government in Canada
• No cabinet secrecy
• Council votes in public
• All meetings, documents are
public (few statutory exemptions)
Open is the default setting
(while safeguarding privacy)

4. Open Government
A city in which all are fully engaged in an
open & accessible local government

5. Open Government – Alignment
International Council direction City program areas
recognition need
Civic Participation & Greater Transparency & Access to Information &
Accountability Customer Service Technology
Ethical government Council priorities Business drivers

6. City of Toronto Governance
Open Government Committee
Collaboratio
n

7. Information Management
Information Management underpins Open Government
Responsibly managed
information promotes
greater public trust and
confidence in
government services

8. Themes Information Management Framework
Accountable Accessible
Accessible Responsible Trustworthy
Government Government
Government Government Government
ACCOUNTABILITY OPENNESS LIFECYCLE TRUST & RELIABILITY
Principles
OPENNESS
All employees are Information is open and Information is managed Information is current,
responsible for the proper Information is open and through all stages of
accessible. accurate, relevant and
management of accessible. usefulness in coordination easy to use.
information. with business planning.
Integrity and Your local government Managing Information is Improved customer
Goals
Privacy Protection anytime, anywhere. Everybody’s Business service and civic
participation
Legislation
Information Management Policies, Strategies & Standards
Enterprise Architecture & Technology
Information Management
Accountability Policy
2013

9. Open Government Principles
Accountable Accessible
Transparent Participatory

10. High ethical standards, codes of
Accountable conduct & a commitment to proactive
disclosure about government activities
and spending.
Staff Purchasing Card Transactions
Councillor Expenses

11. Make information available to its
Accessible citizens & enhance citizen inclusion in
the decision-making process.
Complementary Info Channels
• Freedom of Information Requests – legislated right to
access info held by government: channel of last resort
• Open Data – raw machine-readable datasets, push to pull
• Open Info
• Routine Disclosure Plans
• Web content, AODA
• Location-aware, interactive
aps e.g. Municipal Licencing,
Well-being Toronto

12. Making government information
Transparent available to the public is a requirement
for an informed citizenry. It enables
people to understand what their
government is doing.
City’s Paper Meeting World (Pre 2007)
Agendas, Motions, Decision Document, Minutes
Before a meeting:
• 2.5 ft of reports for every councillor, staff
After a meeting:
• Assembly & Publication: Intensive, Manual,
Delayed

13. Transparent and Accessible
Toronto Meeting Management System
November 27, 2012 13
ARMA, NCR

14. Democracy requires opportunities for
Participatory participation & collaborative problem
solving whenever possible; this is at the
core of democratic governance

15. Open Government by Design
Practicing the Philosophy
Maturity Model: emerge, establish, embed …
‘just a way of doing business’
• Establish info stewardship & open culture
– Divisional Info Mgt Liaison contacts
– Expanding partnership of IM and I&T
• Embed openness in systemic processes
– Plan for openness (capital budget process)
– Design for openness (enterprise architecture)

16. Open Government by Design
Practicing the Philosophy