Township Open Data Portal Updated

It is available for use by anyone, anytime, free of charge.

The Township of Langley has recently updated its Open Data portal  that was first launched back in 2014. The portal makes a wide assortment of data available to the public on everything from property assessments and business licenses, to municipal water systems and conservation areas.

The updated portal, which can be found online at data.tol.ca  , presents non-personal information graphically as well as in a number of different downloadable data formats.

Because the data is free, updated regularly, and has open licensing rules in place regarding its use, the Township can ensure the data it makes available is current and accessible for anyone who wants to use it.

“Our new open data portal aims to provide Township of Langley information to residents, developers, academics, entrepreneurs, and all interested members of our community,” said Township of Langley Geomatics Coordinator Scott McQuarrie. “The new platform integrates easily into our existing technology infrastructure and enables us to use industry-standard tools to keep the data up-to-date. Going forward, it gives us the flexibility to engage residents with our data in new and creative ways while providing standard machine-readable APIs (Application Programming Interface) for software developers.”

The updated portal builds on the great functionality that the old portal delivered and will continue to evolve as time goes on. As part of the update, staff have also published development activity information and property crime data that includes a new interactive mapping tool.

“As the Officer in Charge of the Langley RCMP, I have to applaud the Township of Langley for being proactive and creating the platform that meets the inquisitive needs of our citizens for 2018 and beyond,” said Superintendent Murray Power. “Many people are limited by speculation and rumour when it comes to the true state of property crime in their neighbourhood. This platform will allow all residents to see the facts on a number of topics that pertain to their specific area or the Township as a whole. The property crime and crime prevention aspects of the platform should stimulate positive proactive practices by all of us that will result in the Township of Langley being just that much better to live in.”

The idea of open data has emerged over the last number of years to give the public easier access to information however they want, without needing permission or being restricted by fees or procedures. A number of municipal organizations and other levels of government have launched open data initiatives.

For more information, contact Township Director of Corporate Administration Steve Scheepmaker at sscheepmaker@tol.ca or 604-533-6075.