D-Day, as in Data Day has arrived in Canada.

Statistics Canada has always charged to access much of its data but starting today – February 1st, 2012 – self-serve standard products available on the Statistics Canada website, which includes CANSIM and census data products, are now free of charge under the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

For those of you who are not familiar with these resources, CANSIM (CANadian Socio Economic Information Management System) is a collection of time series data on a variety of different aspects of the Canadian economy and population. It covers over 10 million data series and is organized into tables. These tables used to cost $3 per time series table, which could prove costly if you were looking at a bunch of data over any length of time.

In terms of Census data, much of it will be free, most often down to the Census Tract level. Census Tracts are small, relatively stable geographic areas that usually have a population of 2,500 to 8,000. Data at the Dissemination Area level (small area composed of one or more neighbouring dissemination blocks, with a population of 400 to 700 persons) will still require payment.

Next week (February 8, 2012) is the first release of data from the 2011 Census and it will be interesting to see how this access to free data will shape local conversations.

It is a fantastic boon for all data geeks! Nonprofit organizations and students will really appreciate this new pricing.

Get ready Canada. The free data stream has started to flow!

2011 Census geographic products

Available today are four geographic products from the 2011 Census: Boundary Files, Road Network File, Correspondence Files and the Interim List of Changes to Municipal Boundaries, Status, and Names. These products represent the first suite of geographic products released from the 2011 Census.

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What will be available free on Statistics Canada’s website?

Statistics Canada’s standard products — including CANSIM data, census data and geography products—will become available free of charge on our website as of February 2012 under a new Open Licence Agreement.

As a first step, on November 29, 2011, the majority of standard geography data products from the 2011 and 2006 censuses will be offered free of charge under the new agreement.

In February 2012, the 2011 Census standard products available on our website will be offered free of charge at all geography levels. Most of the standard geography data products from the 2001 Census will also become available for free on that date.

The new Open Licence Agreement will be posted on the Statistics Canada website on November 29, 2011.

Why is Geography data being released first?

Geography data are the first product line being prepared. The products being released November 29 (with no data) are establishing a framework for the future release of data products from the 2011 Census.

What is being released November 29?

The products being released are all described in the Preview of Geography Products that was released on our website a few months ago. The link to Geography preview is attached. It will explain what Geography products are coming out tomorrow and those that will follow.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=92-144-x&lang=eng

When will 2011 Census data be released, and at what level of geography?

The actual data from the 2011 Census starts to come out on February 8, 2012 with the first release of the Population and Dwelling (P&D) counts. All P&D data down to the ‘Block’ level of data will be released (as FREE). Descriptions of data products being released for P&D and the remaining releases (including down to what levels of geo) are noted in the Census Preview of products and services that was released on September 21, 2011. The link is attached below.

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/preview-avantgout/index-eng.cfm

Embassy Magazine has broken the story that all of Statistics Canada’s online data will not only be made free, but released under the Government of Canada’s Open Data License Agreement that allows for commercial re-use.

The scope of this seems to cover all the Statistics Canada products we’ve wanted to use in the past, which is fantastic, but the devil is in the details. The issues of exactly what data will be free, what level of geography will they be available at and in what formats will they be disseminated are all still to be answered. Also, for those of us doing mapping work, does this include all the geography products? Nice to have free data, but if it is a pain to get at and really be useful, it becomes a bit of frustrating exercise. Waiting to see what Statistics Canada’s response will be to this.

David Eaves has a good article on providing some analysis on the Background, Winners and Next Steps on this announcement.

via my colleague Tracey over at datalibre.ca

Happy Valentine’s day all!

Why not send you MP or MPP or City Councilor A Valentine Card!  Be sure to attach a little note in your email along with the card.  You can find your MP here http://citizenfactory.com

Sebastien Pierre at ffunction created these (http://ffctn.com/)