Open Data Resources for Environmental Studies in the Greater Toronto Area

Many municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area have launched open data portals, by which they share collected datasets with the public for unrestricted use. Many have followed the Open Knowledge Foundation definition of open data which characterizes open data as the "building blocks of open knowledge". Key characteristics of open data would include "availability and access", "reuse and redistribution" , as well as "universal participation" in the sharing of their open data.

Several Greater Toronto Area Municipalities have also signed onto the International Open Data Charter (IODC) which lays out six principles for all open data publishing. These include that open data be:

1. Open by Default
2. Timely and Comprehensive
3. Accessible and Usable
4. Comparable and Interoperable
5. For Improved Governance & Citizen Engagement
6. For Inclusive Development & Innovation