IPC’s Transparency Showcase celebrates the beauty and benefits of government transparency

TORONTO, ON (September 25, 2024) — Today the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) unveiled its second Transparency Showcase with another inspiring display of transparency and open government in action by Ontario’s provincial and municipal institutions.

The latest virtual gallery spotlights innovative projects that support government transparency, promote civic engagement, and demonstrate the positive impact of open data for Ontarians. Launched during Right to Know Week, the showcase illustrates the importance of access rights, transparency and open government. Featured exhibits include:

• City of Toronto’s If These Walls Could Talk display provides the public with access to tools and government records in connection with historical houses and neighbourhoods allowing them to discover their own local heritage.
• Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks’ Environmental Property Information Program project shows the power of out-of-the-box thinking to simplify and streamline access to data on the environmental conditions of properties.
• Ottawa Police Service’s Community Safety Data Portal provides an overview of police activity in various communities and encourages greater public engagement with accessible information.
• Town of Innisfil’s Technology in Public Spaces provides interactive signage to inform residents about technology embedded in public spaces, such as sensors in park waste bins.

The online showcase offers visitors a chance to browse the projects through captivating audio and video, graphics, and descriptions that bring the initiatives to life. Each project is represented by a unique and original piece of artwork, including a specially commissioned piece by artist Shelby Gagnon from Aroland First Nation.

“Transparency and access to government-held information is about empowerment,” said Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. “It equips people with the information they need to participate meaningfully in the democratic process, engage in constructive discourse, and hold their governments accountable. It’s the bedrock that democracy is built on, inspiring public trust and providing trustworthy, evidence-based information to shape policies, programs, and services to improve Ontarians’ lives.”

This year’s Transparency Challenge builds on the success of the first challenge, launched last year, which called on Ontario’s public institutions to share creative and innovative projects advancing open data and transparency.

Institutions across Ontario’s public sector responded to this year’s call and 14 projects were selected as part of a new collection in the IPC’s Transparency Showcase. Today, more than 30 projects are featured in two galleries, providing a remarkable range of initiatives aimed at increasing understanding and appreciation for open data and access to government information. The goal is to inspire others towards greater transparency as well.

Privacy and Transparency in a Modern Government is one of the IPC’s four strategic priorities. Through initiatives like the Transparency Challenge, the IPC advances Ontarians’ access rights and works with public institutions to hold up positive examples of transparency and its real benefits for the lives of Ontarians.

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