Open information
Tell us about the information you would like to locate.
Our goal is to make government information easy to find, use and understand.
Start here to see what type of government information is available. Stay tuned as we continue to share information online so you can learn more about government programs, services, operations and activities.
About government information
Ontario creates and manages many types of information on government programs, services, operations and activities. By sharing this information with you, we hope you can find the information you need to understand what the government is working on, to provide input and get involved.
Through open information, we are working to:
- provide easier access to information created by or for government
- offer insight into how government operates and how decisions are made
- increase transparency about government spending
- share knowledge about how policies are designed, consulted on and implemented
- provide access to policies and research on subjects that are of interest to the public
- promote accountable reporting on the government’s performance
Government directives
As an important step forward, we have begun releasing internal government directives.
We are sharing directives online to help you better understand how decisions are made inside government.
Visit our government directives page to learn more.
Examples of government information
| Type of information | Examples |
|---|---|
Corporate directives and policies | |
Financial information | |
Performance reports | |
Mandates and strategies | |
Government publications | |
Research | |
Legal information | |
Broader public sector information |
|
Government publications
The government maintains a large inventory of documents that are intended for distribution to the general public. The majority of these publications can be found through Publications Ontario. Digital publications are typically available for free.
If you can’t find the publication you are looking for through Publications Ontario, check the website of the ministry or agency that created it, or contact the ministry or agency directly.
Information requests
If the information you’re looking for is not easily found or unavailable, you can request it – under law – by making a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Data and performance metrics
If you’re looking for data on government programs, services, operations and results, you can start by browsing our open data catalogue.
We are continually publishing data sets in open, machine-readable formats that can be used to analyze, visualize and learn more about government.
Visit Ontario’s open data catalogue
How government works
The Ontario government employs tens of thousands of employees and oversees many programs and services for people.