How to Build an Open Data Initiative For Your City

Montréal Ouvert is a citizens’ initiative to obtain a formal open data policy for the city of Montréal, Canada. Launched by four Montrealers in August 2010 to mobilize public and political support for the adoption of an open data policy for the city of Montreal, it has had considerable success. The online presence includes 567 Facebook Fans, 743 Twitter followers and tens of thousands of visits to its website. Over 1 year, Montréal Ouvert organised three public meetings, two hackathons, and presented at over 8 conferences – not to mention blogging, tweeting, report writing, media interviews and general communication in both official languages – no easy task!

Part of Montréal Ouvert’s success can be attributed to its demonstration of the benefits of open data for all city residents through practical applications. While Montréal Ouvert has not directly built software applications, it has coached, inspired, and connected developers to the local community so that they could create successful apps that, collectively, have garnered over 120,000 visits – not bad for a city of about 2 million people...