Alessandro Alasia from Statistics Canada's Data Exploration and Integration Lab (DEIL) will present on progress towards building a Linkable Open Data Environment.

Over the last few years, the DEIL has conducted an increasing amount of work with open data using various open source tools in an open ecosystem. This exploration and experience has given rise to the idea of using an “open project” approach. In this session, Alessandro will present examples and outcomes of “open projects” at DEIL, that is, projects that, to the extent possible, make use of open software, open code, open standards, open data, and open project management tools. It also outlines how DEIL is now exploring integration of open databases through the development of a Linkable Open Data Environment (LODE).

To date, achievements include the completion of openly licensed databases of virtually all building footprints across Canada, in collaboration with Microsoft, and preliminary versions of open databases of business, educational facilities, hospitals and addresses. Further, these open databases are providing insights on the potential of data value multiplication through stakeholder use and enrichment of the original baseline datasets.