The people of Ontario depend on high-performing infrastructure for their day-to-day lives. Infrastructure projects take many years to plan and complete, and cost millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars. While this Plan includes many tools to bring these costs under control (e.g. integrated planning, private sector involvement, regulatory burden reduction), the people of Ontario must also have confidence in the investments we make — regardless of whether those investments are renewal decisions to modernize existing assets or if they are new projects to deliver enhanced services.

As part of Rebuilding Ontario, we will endeavor to keep you informed about what infrastructure is being planned, where it is located, how projects are being managed, and when those projects will be delivered. Transparency is the key to keeping us accountable for the actions we take under this Plan, and open data can help us get there together.

The current landscape

1. Infrastructure data is fragmented and outdated

Without accurate data, we cannot make timely, sound, and evidence-based decisions.

A lack of quality data also presents a challenge for people who want access to real-time information about where their tax dollars are being spent, and when those dollars will start delivering value.

The public deserves more timely and accurate information about provincial infrastructure projects.

2. Ontario does not have a coordinated framework in place to effectively provide data to the public and govern the use of data

Global experience shows us that data is reshaping the world around us and transforming the services on which we rely. We know that public and private entities collect, store and analyze data to make decisions and find new solutions. This is particularly the case when it comes to new technologies being used in modern infrastructure. We also know that in the current world, data has value and can be misused. The people of Ontario rightfully expect that their personal data will be properly secured and protected. Therefore, we must have fair and effective rules in place to protect people, while also helping communities and businesses innovate and deliver modern and efficient infrastructure.

3. People don’t have enough information about the status of infrastructure projects

We can all relate to a situation where a road project was interfering with a commute or vacation, and we just wanted to know when the work was going to be finished.

Certain information, such as the status of construction and project budgets, is usually not publicly available. In our increasingly digital world, people expect to be able to find this information.

To increase accountability, we need to revisit what types of information are publicly available.

When information is shared, it also needs to be accessible and digestible, so the people of Ontario can understand what is happening, why and when. This will help ensure confidence in our institutions that manage and deliver infrastructure.

Our commitment

1. Improve data collection and analysis

To realize the benefits of infrastructure, we need to invest in the right infrastructure at the right time and in the right place. To do this effectively, we need to enhance our collection and analysis of data while ensuring people’s personal privacy is protected.

Accurate data will:

  • support timely, sound, and evidence-based decisions
  • help us determine the condition of our assets, allowing us to make the most of existing infrastructure
  • help us better anticipate future demand and decide when to invest strategically
  • increase the resilience of our current infrastructure to extreme weather conditions such as flooding

The Province is committed to promoting new and better ways of collecting and using data to extend the life, performance and value of infrastructure, and applying advanced analytics to ensure we get the most out of our infrastructure.

2. Establish a framework for open data

Ontario is implementing a Digital and Data Action Plan. This is intended to fulfil Ontario’s vision of becoming Canada’s leading digital-first province. The government is also committed to ensuring data policies will be transparent and easy to understand, while data privacy and security remain at the core of government policy.

We are taking actions to:

  • establish a requirement for ministries to maintain and publish data held by the Ontario Public Service in open, machine-readable formats
  • formalize the mandate of the Chief Digital and Data Officer, under the authority of the Province, to:
    • establish priorities, policies and standards for digital services and open data
    • establish requirements regarding the delivery of digital services and the collection, management, use and public release of data held by the Ontario Public Service
    • enforce rules and compliance for digital services and data
    • provide support and advice to ministries, including communities of practice, training and talent
    • develop a Digital and Data Action Plan for the Ontario Public Service
    • report on implementation progress for the Digital and Data Action Plan and compliance

3. Provide current and detailed infrastructure project updates

Our goal is to continually improve how we gather accurate, consistent and current project data. We will publish this data on the Ontario Builds website, which provides information on key infrastructure projects in communities throughout Ontario. We can use this data to generate a system-wide view of the status of the government’s capital projects.

With increased access to data, the people of Ontario will have a better understanding of when, where and how their tax dollars are being spent.