Open Government, Canada
APIAccess Canadian government open data via RESTful APIs
Overview
The Open Government Canada API provides RESTful endpoints to search, retrieve, and access thousands of open datasets from Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Endpoints support keyword/category searches, metadata retrieval, and raw data access across sectors like health, environment, economy, and public safety. Responses are primarily in JSON format, with additional CSV/XML options for raw datasets. Use cases include building citizen-facing apps for public services, policy research, integrating stats into educational tools, and journalistic investigations into public data.
Example Integration (JavaScript)
fetch('http://open.canada.ca/en')
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(err => console.error(err)); Key Features
- RESTful
- JSON support
- No authentication required
- Metadata access
- Multi-sector dataset coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is Open Government, Canada free to use?
Yes, all datasets and API access are completely free for public use without subscription fees.
? Does it require an API Key?
No, most endpoints do not require an API key, allowing unrestricted access to public datasets.
? What is the response format?
Most endpoints return JSON; raw datasets are also available in CSV or XML formats.
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Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Free unlimited access
- ⊕ Diverse sector coverage
- ⊕ Comprehensive metadata
- ⊕ Regular dataset updates
Cons
- ⊖ Potential rate limits for high-volume requests
- ⊖ Some datasets may have delayed updates
- ⊖ Limited advanced query filters in certain endpoints