HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-14-005 - Open Government Action Plan - Open Data Implementation Plan & Revisions to Accountability & Transparency Policy Staff Report
I r finance and Corporate Services Department wvwuukitchenerra
REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: February 24, 2014
SUBMITTED BY: Dan Chapman, Deputy CAO
(519-741-2200 ext. 7347)
PREPARED BY: Kathryn Dever
(519-741-2200 ext. 7370)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: January 30, 2014
REPORT NO.: FCS-14-005
SUBJECT: OPEN GOVERNMENT ACTION PLAN, OPEN DATA
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND REVISIONS TO
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY POLICY
(COUNCIL POLICY 1-15)
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Council Policy 1-15: Corporate Accountability and Transparency be repealed and
replaced with the updated Policy attached as Appendix B to staff report FCS-14-005; and
further,
THAT Council approve the Open Government Action Plan for 2014-2017 attached as
Appendix E to staff report FCS-14-005, and direct staff to proceed with the following
priority actions in 2014:
• Participation: Community Engagement Policy and e-Participation initiatives
• Transparency: Open Data Launch
• Accountability: Strategic Plan Community Assessment, City Website and
Accessible Reporting initiatives
BACKGROUND:
In October 2013 Council considered an Open Government discussion paper and Open Data
framework for Kitchener at a Strategic Session. Since then, public consultation has been
undertaken to update the Corporate Accountability and Transparency Policy, and develop an
action plan for Open Government initiatives, including a focus on Open Data.
Staff will provide a follow-up presentation to Finance & Corporate Services Committee on
February 24 to:
• share information about the public consultation efforts and input received;
• engage Council in discussion and seek approval on both an updated Corporate
Accountability and Transparency Policy (Council Policy I-15) and 4-year Open
Government Action Plan for Kitchener; and
• provide highlights of the Open Data Implementation Plan.
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REPORT:
Governments at all levels are being held to higher standards of openness by their regulators
and constituents. This is reflected in legislation, voluntary efforts by governments to provide
disclosure, and also in grassroots citizen efforts which are enabled by technology, the internet
and social media.
The City has put in place a number of policies, practices and programs to become a more open
government. In 2007, the City demonstrated this commitment when it passed its first Corporate
Accountability & Transparency Policy. The policy included an expectation that the steps being
taken to become more accountable and transparent would be reviewed within each term of
Council. This scheduled review of the policy provided an opportunity to incorporate broader
Open Government principles and actions. For this reason, a comprehensive review of the
policy and update of the work plan was included in the 2013 business plan.
Open Government Consultation Key Findings
Six consultation initiatives were undertaken between October and December 2013 in support of
the Open Government initiative and Accountability & Transparency Policy review:
• presentation and discussion at a joint meeting of the City's 11 Advisory Committees;
• an online survey using the City's website;
• presentations and discussions with multiple undergraduate and graduate classes at the
two local universities during Local Government week;
• specific questions included within the Environics Citizen Survey of 1,002 residents;
• multiple discussions with stakeholders in the open data community; and
• internal discussions with City staff
Appendix A provides a comprehensive summary of the consultation objectives, formats, tools
used, and all input received. Several common themes and priorities emerged from all of the
consultation, and were key considerations in developing the updated Accountability and
Transparency Policy (Appendix B) and Open Government Action Plan (Appendix E). The
following table illustrates the themes from the consultation, and demonstrates how they were
incorporated into the Policy and Action Plan:
Theme Interests"And,Priorities from, Atcouritabili rand Open Government
Consultation, Transparency Policy A tioh'PWn
Connections' Connections.
Public Improve participation in City decision- Citizen Engagement Participation Actions:
engagement making by members of the public commitment clearly stated #1: Community
and New and electronic or online methods Engagement Policy
participation for public engagement
#2: e-Participation
Retain in-person/non-electronic
methods of engagement to ensure
equal access
Open Better information on City decision- Policy Components for Transparency Actions:
processes and making processes and opportunities Transparency- accessible #3: Open Process/
decisions for input information Decisions
Greater involvement in a decisions, Citizen Engagement
and in the City reporting on how commitment-general
citizen input is used in decisions decision-making parameters
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TIheme Interests"and,Priorities from, Accountability and Open Government
Consultation Transparency,Policy Action Plan
Connections Connections'
Accessibility Improve access to information and Plain language, shorter Transparency Actions:
to information ensure accuracy of information document with content in #1: Open Data
Expand access to information through sections
#2: Website
online/electronic means while improvements to
preserving other methods Records management, enhance information
Challenge to find and understand access to information and access
information on the City website Open Data commitments
Clarify website information on roles of clearly stated Accountability Actions:
various levels of government #3: Accessible
Reporting
Open by Provide information and data publicly Records management, Transparency Actions:
default unless there is a privacy, legal or access to information and #1: Open Data
legislated constraint Open Data commitments
Provide access to City data sets i.e., clearly stated #4: Open by Default
open data
Agreement with open data benefits
e.g., economic development and
innovation
Accountability Key priority for the City, while no Policy Components provide Accountability Actions:
indication of a lack of accountability overarching guidance for #1: Strategic Plan
or distrust of City government City activities, services and Community
Clear statement of the City's programs Assessment
commitments and actions it will take Policy Commitments clearly #2 Website
in support of openness, accountability state methods through which Improvements to clarify
and transparency Accountability and roles of levels of
Transparency are practiced government
Roles and Responsibilities #4: Open Government
identify obligations Progress Reporting
Review and Reporting
explains review timeframes
to ensure relevance
Accountability and Transparency Policy
In 2007, the City passed its first Corporate Accountability & Transparency Policy as required by
the Municipal Act. The Policy included definitions and components of Accountability and
Transparency, as well as steps to becoming more accountable and transparent, and the
expectation that a review of the steps would happen within each term of Council. Staff have
reviewed and updated the Policy with the aim that it will provide high-level direction and
guidance to staff and citizens, while detailing specific commitments the City has put in place to
in support of Accountability and Transparency.
A number of changes and improvements were identified during staff's review of the Policy, and
incorporated into the draft updated Policy submitted for Council approval, included as Appendix
B. For ease of comparison, the current Policy dated October 2008 is attached as Appendix C.
The key improvements and enhancements to the Policy are:
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• Open Government Definitions: The Policy review coincided with the development of
the City's Open Government framework, which includes definitions for the core principles
of Accountability, Transparency and Participation. Review and discussion of the terms
were part of the Advisory Committee consultation and no concerns were raised by
members of the public. Staff have incorporated these definitions into the Policy for
consistency.
• Plain Language: The revised Policy is shorter and written in plainer language, with
content broken out into clearly defined, appropriately named sections for ease of use
and interpretation.
• Components and Commitments: The original Policy included overarching guidance for
the provision of city activities, services and programs as `Components' and these have
largely been preserved, yet shortened, in the updated Policy. An improvement over the
previous Policy is a new section entitled `Commitment' which states what the City has
put and/or will put in place to support Accountability and Transparency, i.e., the methods
through which the principles will be adhered to. While the previous Policy included two
Schedules for this information, the updated version puts it front and centre, and in a
more principled way without detailed timelines or responsibilities, which are more
appropriately included in an Action Plan which is to be updated periodically.
To close out the planned activities from the original policy, staff have prepared a comprehensive
status update on the activities using the categories originally referenced: Roles and
Responsibilities, Council Business, Financial Matters, Strategic Matters, and Reporting and
Review. The status update is attached as Appendix D to this report. The majority of activities
have been completed in full or in part, others are in progress, and where an item could not be
fully implemented an explanation is provided.
The Commitments and all aspects of the Policy will continue to be reviewed during each term of
Council, as outlined in the new `Review and Reporting' section of the Policy. Staff are
recommending approval of the revised and updated Policy as a guiding tool to outline the City's
commitments to Accountability and Transparency and to further the City's open government
objectives.
Open Government Action Plan
A key deliverable of the City's Open Government initiative was the development of clear priority
initiatives for the organization. The Open Government Action Plan represents the key priorities
for Kitchener under each of the three open government principles: Participation, Transparency
and Accountability, for the 4-year period 2014-2017.
Staff developed the Action Plan by considering the consultation input, extensive research
included in the original discussion paper, alignment with other corporate initiatives, staff
resources and capacity, Council's input from the October Strategic Planning discussion, and
best practice from other government organizations.
The full action plan is included as Appendix E to this report. Built upon the three open
government principles with specific measurable actions for each, following are the highlights of
the action plan:
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• Participation: Developing a Community Engagement Policy will formalize the City's
previous work on a framework and toolkit for community engagement. Increasing means
for eParticipation reflects consultation feedback that citizens are looking for more ways
to engage with the City through online and other electronic means.
• Transparency: Launching the City's Open Data portal and building awareness of the
launch are the sole actions proposed for 2014, while formalizing internal open data
operations will take place for the life of the action plan. A number of other actions to
enhance Transparency are also planned: improving the City's website to enhance
access to information, and communicating City and Council decision-making processes
and opportunities for input. Evolving the organization to be Open by Default will involve
both culture and awareness, and development of specific tools such as proactive
disclosure procedures to make information available to the public, subject to legal and
legislative constraints.
• Accountability: Exploring with citizens the Environics survey results and their
expectations with respect to accountability are a key initial priority, along with identifying
any related strategic directions for the City's strategic plan. Improving access to City
reports through various channels reflects consultation input that information be readily
accessible.
The Action Plan provides a clear roadmap for the City to pursue more open government in
Kitchener. The Action Plan will be reviewed and refreshed regularly, including the addition of
any new priorities identified through the community consultation process for the City's Strategic
Plan. Progress on the plan will be monitored and reported on regularly; in support of
Accountability, this is included as an action within the Plan.
Open Data Implementation Plan
Development and launch of an open data portal for the City of Kitchener was identified as a key
initial action in support of Open Government to enhance Transparency, while also supporting
Participation and Accountability. Following Council's general support for the Open Data
framework document in October, the project team worked together to undertake a series of
activities toward developing an Open Data Implementation Plan for Kitchener, the executive
summary for which is included as Appendix F. Three key areas of activity undertaken to develop
the plan are as follows:
• Consultation: Open data topics were included in the joint advisory committee meeting
and online survey for input on the concepts and potential priorities for open data. A
number of meetings and discussions were held with the local and broader open data
user communities, local universities, municipalities, Communitech and City staff. These
discussions focussed on data needs, priorities and collaboration opportunities.
• Establishing Parameters for Open Data Launch: Key requirements for an open data
launch were assessed for open data policy, principles, infrastructure, governance,
administration and resources.
• Initial Dataset Identification: The proposed open data sets for the inaugural launch
were based on a number of factors including consultation with the local open data
community, the online survey and advisory committee consultation, and elements of the
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data sets, e.g., ease of access, ease of conversion to open data format, quality,
usefulness to the public, lack of privacy or legal risk.
Following are the proposed open data sets for Kitchener's initial Open Data launch:
• GIS/Geospatial Data
• Base data including Single Line Street Network, Address Points, Right-Of-Way
and Orthophotography (subject to licenses)
• Recreation & culture data including parks, arenas, heritage buildings (cultural
mapping), places of worship
• Administrative boundaries including City limits, Ward boundaries
• Infrastructure including bridges, storm water ponds, hydro corridors
• Environmental features including trees, forests, rivers, lakes, ponds, floodplains
• Facilities including community centres, firehalls, public parking
• Land use data including official and secondary plan limits, planning communities,
economic development areas/zones
• Transportation including bike lanes, parking lots, airports, rail lines and road
construction and closures
• Financial data, past and present, in its current form transitioning to an open data
format in a timely manner
• Council expenses
• Economic development data including demographics and building permits;
• Events calendar (Council, Committees, Community)
• Directory of City contacts from website
• List of political candidates (2014 election)
• City policies
Staff are currently preparing open data, developing an open data catalogue and designing a
user interface. Launch of the City's Open Data portal is targeted for spring 2014.
Communications and community engagement around the launch will help raise the profile of the
initiative and the City's datasets. Outreach activities may include an app development contest
and participation in an upcoming Communitech event in which students from across Ontario
propose solutions to real-world problems using open data.
Following the open data launch, activities to the end of 2014 will focus on expanding initial data
offerings, responding to feedback from the initial portal launch, and confirming internal
governance and decision-making. Beyond 2014, a longer term roadmap has been proposed to
help ensure continued success.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The review and update of the City's Accountability and Transparency Policy aligns to the
following areas of the City's Strategic Plan:
Community Priorities: Leadership and Community Engagement.
Effective and Efficient Government Priorities: Organizational Governance, Communications,
Marketing & Customer Service.
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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None at this time.
Future actions and initiatives pursued in support of Open Government and Open Data may have
resource or financial implications, which would be brought forward to Council for direction as
required.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Consult, Collaborate and Inform. From October to December, staff undertook stakeholder
consultation activities, including discussion at a joint advisory committee meeting, discussions
with local university classes, an online survey, the Environics citizen survey, discussions with
the Open Data community and staff consultation. This consultation was done with the aim to
obtain input on existing policies, practices and programs, and obtain feedback on potential new
priorities for open government and open data. Information on the City's open government
initiative was posted to the City's website: http://www.ktchener.ca/en/insidecityhall/Open-
GovernmgpLasp
This report informs Council and the public about the results of the consultation efforts and the
next steps toward implementing open government and open data at the City of Kitchener, and
updating the Accountability and Transparency Policy.
Community engagement efforts to consult, collaborate or inform will continue as initiatives in the
Open Government action plan and Open Data Implementation Plan are carried out.
APPENDICES:
A. Summary of Consultation Activities and Input- Open Government Initiative
B. Updated Corporate Accountability and Transparency Policy - January 2014
C. Current Corporate Accountability and Transparency Policy - October 2008
D. Status Update to Policy Schedule A: Actions to Becoming More Accountable and
Transparent 2008-2010
E. Open Government Action Plan 2014-2017
F. Open Data Implementation Plan Executive Summary
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman, Deputy CAO- Finance and Corporate Services
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Appendix A: Summary of Consultation Activities and Input- Open Government Initiative
A number of consultation activities were undertaken as part of this initiative.This Appendix summarizes
first,the key themes from the collective input from all consultation, followed by a description of each
consultation's objectives, questions, and detailed input.
This summary includes:
1. Joint Advisory Committee Meeting Nov 26, 2013
2. Online Survey Dec 4-16, 2013
3. Environics Citizen Survey Nov 26—Dec 10, 2013
4. Local Government Week student consultation Oct 21-22, 2013
The results of Open Data consultation with the open data community are incorporated into the Open Data
implementation plan.
Key Themes and Priorities:
1. Public engagement and participation:
• Improved participation in decision-making
• High interest in new methods for public engagement particularly online to improve access
• Interest in retaining in person and various channels of participation
2. Accessibility to information:
• Improved information access
• Accurate information
• Improvements to City website for ease of finding information and clarity of roles for levels of
government
• Expand access to information online and through other means
• Better explanation and clarity on City roles and responsibilities vs. Region vs. Province
3. Open by default:
• There is support for the City providing all information and data publicly unless there is a privacy
or security issue
• There is support for providing access to City data sets and with the benefits this would provide
including economic development and finding new solutions
4. Decision-making:
• Clear decision-making processes and opportunities for input
• Greater involvement in decision on all City topics/subjects and beyond single issues
5. Accountability
• Accountability is a key priority for residents, although there is no indication of a lack of
accountability or distrust of City government
1
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1. Joint Advisory Committee Meeting Nov 26, 2013
Consultation Objectives:
• Discuss background of Open Government
• Obtain feedback on the City's working framework and principles
• Introduce the City's approach for Open Data
• Obtain input on data sets of interest
• Preview next steps in the process
Consultation Format and Participation:
• Advisory committee members were provided the City's Open Government discussion paper, Open
Data framework and discussion questions one week prior to the meeting
• At the meeting staff provided a brief presentation on each of the components
• Committee members were seated in 5 mixed table groups (noted as A through E later in this
summary)to discuss their opinions and input to the questions
• A scribe for each group took full notes of each group's discussion
• Approximately 45-50 members attended the meeting
• Input was shared back with committee members via the staff liaisons for each advisory committee
Input Summary:
Question 1:From your experience as both a citizen, and now as an advisory committee member, what areas of
strength, and what gaps do you see with respect to Transparency, Participation and Accountability?
Major Themes:
• General sense that the City is open, transparent and provides opportunities for participation through public
consultation and electronic means
• City website is difficult to navigate in regards to finding important/useful information for citizens, needs to
be more clear and navigable for citizens
• Accessibility to public information needs to be improved/worked on to allow citizens easy access to
government information
• Opportunity for more input from advisory committees in public decisions
• Decision-making processes could be made more clear
• Greater clarity is needed on roles for City vs. Region vs. other levels of government
Question 2: What is your reaction to the Open Government framework and principles(refer to section H of the
discussion paper)? What stands out?Is anything missing?Is anything not clear?
Major Themes:
• General sense of support for the framework—only 2 comments were provided which follow:
• Supportive of the proposed plan and framework
• Data sources, how used and how reliable would have to be addressed e.g. new Census form and
reliability of results
2
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Question 3: Which of the following should be a priority for the City to increase its openness?
Major Themes:
• All potential areas of action were seen as important
• Accessible reporting, eParticipation, Open by Default and Open Knowledge were identified most often
as priorities
• Accessible reporting needs to include more than just online methods to be inclusive
• Additional potential actions were suggested
Question 4:How do the Open Data benefits articulated in the Open Data Framework reflect what you know
about the needs and opportunities within the community?
Major Themes:
• Benefits reflect some needs and interests in the community with a few comments provided as
follows:
• Tri-TAG (Tri-Cities Transportation Action Group) has Open Data - map where you can locate where
bike racks, trail improvements, streets and potholes are. City could possible use this strategy—it is
being done by default and could be done at a more formal level
• Opens it up to more people who couldn't access information previously. Might however leave out
people without smartphones or computers
• Tech clusters provide opportunities to help leverage existing information
• Cost-benefit should be considered: Is there additional cost to the city or will it reduce costs in the
future?Will it generate more efficiencies for the City?
Note:there is no further detailed input for this question
Question 5: What ideas or suggestions do you have for data sets that would be of interest to your advisory
committee or to Kitchener citizens or businesses?
Major Themes—Data Sets of Greatest Interest:
• Neighbourhoods
• Events
• Economic
• Crime
• Demographic
3
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2. Online Survey Dec 4-16, 2013
Consultation Objectives:
• Obtain input from residents on open government and open data concepts
• Obtain input from residents on potential priority areas for open government and open data
Consultation Format and Participation:
• Online survey available from December 4 to 16, 2013
• Promoted via email to advisory committee members, banner ad on the City's homepage and
through the City's social media channels
• Approximately 100 people accessed the survey and 65 residents completed the survey
• Participants were required to include their city of residence to validate that responses were from
Kitchener residents
• The survey is not representative or statistically valid but represents input at a single point in time
from an online audience, likely already engaged with the City's activities via advisory committee
involvement or through subscribing to the City's social media channels
• Some questions allowed comments and those are included here unedited
Input Summary:
Question 1:The City of Kitchener is committed to the principles of Transparency, Accountability and
Participation. Which of the priorities below do you feel should the city should consider first: (65
respondents)
Ito
3s
3'(7
a
zsY
xo
mi 15
ce
10
S
o nrn
Publicly shariing, Provide information Developing new ways Other,please specify
government data that on'the functions and 'to encoawrage public
does not infringe the roles of government engagement and
personal privacy of participation in
others egui laflive and
conim7unity decisions
Analysis/Observations:
• Developing new ways to encourage public engagement and participation was identified as the
highest priority
• Publicly sharing government data and providing information on government functions/roles are
also of interest
• No other priority was identified in addition to the 3 provided
4
6 - 11
Question 2: If you wanted to give the City your opinion on specific issues or policies, how would you prefer
todo that?Choose all that apply. (6Srespondents)
lo
Ana IyssyObser*ations:
• Email and online were most preferred options perhaps not surprising since it was an online survey
• Social media grew in preference toward the close of the survey following promotion of the survey
on the City's social media promotions
Question 3:Which issues would motivate you to participate in a public consultation? Choose all that apply.
(65 respondents)
cc 10
�ell 414,
Ana|ysis/Obser*ations:
• Interest was expressed in all of the issues listed
• A variety of insightful comments were provided—some of which reflect advisory committee
members' knowledge and role
• This input may be of general interest organizationally and possibly could be shared with the City's
corporate management team (CMT)
S
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Question 4: How would you like to receive information from the City of Kitchener?Choose all that apply.
(65 respondents)
CL
Cr
Ana lyssyObser*ations:
• Electronic means of i nformation-sha ring were preferred over in-person or hard copy
• There was no clear preference between the electronic means—social media, website or email
• There was not a significant degree of interest in Open Data sets when asked about alongside other
information types
Question 5:Are there areas that you feel the city does well with respect to being transparent, open and
welcoming public input? Choose all that apply. (SSrespondents)
Cr
Ana|ysis/Obser*ations:
• All City areas listed were noted as doing well for in terms of being open and transparent
• Recreation and culture and transportation and roads were noted with greater frequency than the
other areas
6
6 - 13
Question 6: In what areas do you feel the City is not as transparent, open or welcoming of input as it could
be? Choose all that apply. (SS respondents)
Cr
Ana IyssyObser*ations:
• All City areas listed were noted as being able to improve in terms of being open and transparent
• Planning and growth management and City spending were noted more frequently as areas to
improve openness and transparency
Question 7: How interested are you, as a citizen of the City of Kitchener, in having the opportunity to
provide feedback and input to government in terms of legislation, policies and other public decisions?
(55 respondents)
Very Sornevdiat Son,ievkat not Not at all lf you
interested,the interested,the �nterestecl interested answered
government opportunities 'Somewhat not
should create for pubHc interested'or
more engageMent 'Not at al I
opportunities are,fine right interested'
for public now,but could p1lease explain
engagernent always be why
improved
7
6 - 14
Analysis/Observations:
• Almost all respondents are very or somewhat interested in having input and involvement in
City/government decisions—perhaps not surprising since some respondents are already involved as
advisory committees
Question 8: Rank from 1 to 6 (1 being the most important and 6 being the least important), what is most
important to you when accessing government information online or in person:
(49 respondents)
01 WIN o, WRI,W111601
Easy to Access 25 10 35 1 7 2 3 1 4 6
Personal Privacy 14 3 17 3 6 6 2 17 19 3
Widely Available 4 10 14 4 10 8 7 9 16 4
Saves you time and money 4 3 7 6 10 10 13 7 20 2
Saves City time and money 4 7 11 5 4 11 14 9 23 1
Information is correct and accurate 101 211 311 21 41 51 41 51 9 5
Sum 1 611 541 115 ---1 411 421 431 481 91
Analysis/Observations:
• Easy to Access and Correct and Accurate information together received the most 1St and 2"
rankings
• Personal Privacy was also ranked high in importance and looking at 1St and 2nd rankings, is overall
3rd in importance
• Personal Privacy was also ranked last in importance by a large number of respondents
• Saving the City time and money was slightly more important than Saving you (respondent)time and
money
Question 9:As you may know, all levels of government collect data. Most of this is not personal, and is
used to track how a government service works, like how often a road is used or how much money is
budgeted for a service. Keeping in mind that all personal information would be protected, using a 5-
point scale, where 1 means you strongly agree, and 5 means you strongly disagree, please indicate how
much you agree with the following statements: (49 respondents)
A. All government data is public data
B. Providing the public with data the government collects is more dangerous than helpful
C. The city should spend money on making the data it collects available to everyone
D. Opening city data for everyone to use is a good idea
E. Making city data more available will spark innovative ideas that help grow our economy
F. Making city data more available will give people the chance to use it in a way that will help improve
people's lives
8
6 - 15
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
60.0%
o.o°/n
40.0%
30.0%
20,0%
J
_...
"
10.0%
0.00/0 ...n.
0.0 ,'�.� ..
A. B3 C. D. E. F.
■5trong1ly Agree uuuuuiC Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Msa,g,ree
Analysis/Observations:
• There is a large degree of agreement with the principles of open data and information sharing, and with
the benefits associated with open data
Question 10: What specific types of data do you feel the government should make available to the
public? Using a 5 point scale, where 1 means "should definitely be available" and 5 means "should
definitely not be available", please rate each of the following: (49 respondents)
A. Data about city services such as snowplowing and grass-cutting
B. Data about natural features, like trees, forests and parks
C. Infrastructure data, like roads and utilities such as gas and water
D. Financial data, like how much the city spends and collects
E. Traffic counts, patterns and collisions
F. Data about city facilities, like pools, splash pads, arenas, soccer fields, ball diamonds
G. Election information such as ward boundaries and councillors
H. Development data such as vacant land parcels, existing land use and building permit data
I. Cemetery data such as locations of cemeteries and plot location
J. Parking data such as locations of parking lots and parking spaces
9
6 - 16
70.0%
60.0%
50.0
40.0m✓
0.0m
a
�v
0.0ia
u iy`
10.0 ..
0.0m/
A. B. C. D. F. F. G H, I, L
n Strongly Agree im Agree *, NeUtral Disagree s,Strongly Disagree
Analysis/Observations:
• There is a consistent level of agreement and support in making available data for all the topics
provided to rank
• No respondents disagreed with providing any of the data types listed
• Responses may also imply interest in general information about these topics not only'open data'
• Cemeteries data had a highest degree of neutrality of the topics listed
10
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3. Environics Citizen Survey
Consultation Objectives:
• Understand Kitchener resident views on City priorities for the upcoming years
• Ask residents about their views on taxation, quality of life, biggest issues facing the community, and
what things they find most appealing about the City
• Provide a current pulse on the community and insights for developing/update the City's strategic
plan aligned with residents'views and opinions
Consultation Format and Participation:
• 15-minute telephone survey of 1,002 Kitchener residents
• Conducted from November 26 to December 10, 2013
• Respondents represented all of Kitchener's 10 wards as well as a cell-phone sample of 100
residents
• Margin of error+3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20
Input Highlights for Open Government-Accountability,Transparency and Participation:
Priorities for the City:
• When provided a list of 10 areas and asked to rank them as 1St priority for the City, 2nd priority or
not a priority: Accountability is the top priority for residents,with 74%saying this is the 1St priority
while Community engagement is a top priority for 38%of residents, again when given 10 potential
areas.
Priorities for City of IKitch a ne'r
Accountability JJ�) 1� :;. G1 � a
Economic development f1%
The,environment
Transportation ...... ... ...... ......
lUU111UJUD111D1�1U)11D1U��"
Growth management&development %
Community engagement �'�.. � 11j11� �1U1U1U1U1U1U1U��� � �JIUJIUJIUJIUJIUJIUJlUJ1D���JIUJIUJJ� , ]W/11
Developing downtown �... � �����������1������J��. � ���1������ ,...... ......,��1°�
Recreation&leisure services ��������� � � ����������������������������������������� 1 ,a
Diversity .......... /� 11p , 2
Arts$r culture
+F �J�7>I�1 11/ll��'ll��llltlifllll��'11��11 11/ll��lll��,i ��f�l`()(+lJlJllJil(�yljJlf���Jlll�lJJr,,,,
■Top priority in Secondary priority Not a priority oiuiui Don't know
11
6 - 18
Decision and Initative Engagement:
• Residents are satisfied with the City's efforts to ensure engagement of citizens and involvement in
decision-making, and the information provided by the City about issues and decisions.
Decision alnd initiative engagement
The residents
vo ce their anc sns Cy i Om U1�UlU1�U11.U11�U11.U1)1I1��1�1.I1��1�1.�»�11�, tai d deo a ll llll(
1JJ
The information provided about City ��
�1J
issues and decisions
The opportunities for residents to �1�JJJJJ�
participate,in the City's decision- 19% »fl
making process .
■'Very satisfied x Somewhat.satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied e Very dissatisfied afar Don't know
Transparency Priorities:
• Desigining new ways to ask questions and give input to the City is a top transparency priority for
residents.
• Residents are interested,to a lesser degree, in providing more information about how government
operates, and sharing non-personal data the government collects (open data).
Top priority for transparency
o as new ways for residents
to q �11111111�
to ask uuestions/kelp the gow't 47%
what they think
Providing more information about 32%
how govt works and operates
Publicly sharing non-personall data _ 17%
the government collects
All of the above ' 3%
Done of the above 1%
IDIK/INA 1%
12
6 - 19
Providing Input:
• Residents would most prefer providing input to the City by completing an online survey or through
email with close to 25%choosing each of these methods as most preferred, and 11% preferring a
digital town hall.
• There is interest to a lesser degree in several in-person means of participation—in-person town hall
and citizen panels.
Getting in contact
24'"a
22%
18%
14%
8%
2% 1%
wwrwwwww
Complete a Email a Attend an in- Be invited to Take part in a plhone a number None of the DK/NA
survey online comment person town join a"citizen "digital"town to leave a above
hall panel" hall message
Analysis/Observations:
• Accountability is considered a top priority by the greatest number of residents, however a lack of
accountability or distrust of local government does not appear elsewhere in the survey—indicating it is
not necessarily a problem, but perhaps more an overarching ideal that must be considered when
reaching other goals.
• The priority assigned to accountability may reflect a general sense of cynicism with government
generally rather than the City specifically;this can be better understood through further consultation
and conversations with citizens to understand perspectives and opinions.
• Accountability can be considered a lens through which the other priorities or initiatives are carried out.
• Residents are satisfied with the City's efforts to ensure residents are engaged in decision-making and
engagement on initiatives.
• Residents would like to see new ways to provide input to the City, primarily online.
13
6 - 20
4. Local University Public Administration Students
Consultation Objectives:
• Discuss with university public administration students City government and open government as
part of Local Government Week
Consultation Format and Participation:
• Four undergraduate or Master's level classes attended by City's open government project sponsor
and project manager
• Overview presentation and open question and answer/discussion format
Input Summary:
• Great opportunity for more and better electronic engagement with citizens around civic issues
• Interest in knowing what the City is doing to increase youth voter turnout
• Interest in the use of online tools including online budget tool and ability to vote online
• Appreciation for the challenges associated with implementing technology to support Open
Government
• Interest in the level of accountability and reporting associated with government organizations
signing on to the global Open Government Partnership
14
6 - 21
Appendix B: Updated Corporate Accountability and Transparency Policy—January 2014
COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION
POLICY NUMBER: 1-15 DATE: December 10, 2007
Amended: October 6, 2008
POLICY TYPE: ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY
1. POLICY STATEMENT
The City of Kitchener (`the City') is committed to the fundamental principles of
accountability and transparency as they are key values within the City's Open
Government Framework. The City has adopted the following as its Vision for
Open Government: "To provide a City government that is transparent and
accountable to its citizens, with opportunities for meaningful, accessible public
participation, made possible through innovation, technology and collaboration."
The City of Kitchener is committed to creating a culture where Council, staff and
citizens of Kitchener are aware of and understand the principles of accountability
and transparency, and their roles in upholding these essential standards of good
government that enhance public trust.
In support of the open government principles of accountability and transparency,
this Policy outlines the City's commitments which will ensure:
• The City is open by default, subject to financial, legal, legislative and
privacy constraints
• Council decision-making is open and transparent
• The City is accountable for the provision and performance of its services
2. DEFINITIONS
Accountability: the City has established rules and guidelines that ensure the City
is able to explain its actions to the public
Transparency: City information is accurate, timely, and freely available and
decisions are open for public review and discussion
KITCHENER Page 1 of 7 JANUARY 2014
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
3. LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
Section 270 of the Municipal Act 2001 (The "Act") requires that all municipalities
adopt and maintain a policy with respect to the manner in which the municipality
will ensure it is accountable to the public for its actions, and the manner in which
its actions are transparent to the public. The purpose of this policy is to provide
guidance for the delivery of municipal activities and services in an accountable
and transparent manner in accordance with the Municipal Act.
4. APPLICATION
This Policy applies to all City employees and members of City Council.
5. POLICY COMPONENTS
In order to ensure the principles of Accountability and Transparency are
practiced and adhered to as a matter of good governance, the following
represent overarching guidance for the provision of City activities, services and
programs in support of the principles.
Accountability Components:
The roles and responsibilities of the City must be clearly defined. In the
context of other levels of government, it should be clearly explained as to
which government is responsible for what services. Within the City, the roles
of Council and staff, and the responsibility for services provided, need to be
easily understood. The roles and responsibilities of stakeholders — including
citizens, customers and businesses - that utilize the services of the City must
also be clearly defined in order to ensure the service is provided in a fair,
equitable and timely manner and that the anticipated outcomes are achieved.
Actions will be consistent with clearly understood expectations.
Services offered by the City should be clearly explained and outlined to
include what is expected from the customer and what the customer can
expect from the City. In setting expectations and reaching agreement,
expectations may be implied or explicit. In many cases there will be a
reasonable expectation based on common sense or normal practices and in
other cases the outcome or expectation will need to be specifically given and
acknowledged. Wherever possible the anticipated outcome of any service
provided by the City will be given to provide clarity on what the citizen,
customer or business can expect.
KITCHENER Page 2 of 7 JANUARY 2014
6 - 23
Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
There must be a reasonable balance between expectations and
capacities. Customer and citizen expectations may change from time to time,
and all expectations must be balanced against the City's authority, available
skills and resources required to achieve the expected outcome.
There must be clear and timely reporting on actions. Reporting must be
credible, the information useful, accurate, timely and accessible. Reporting on
actions taken or not taken shall be clear and easy to understand.
There must be reasonable review and adjustment. Accountable reporting
will highlight areas where expectations have been met, as well as those which
have not. Achievements should be recognized, and where expectations have
not been met, adjustment and corrective actions may need to be made.
Transparency Components:
City information must be fully accessible within legal limitations.
Providing information that citizens or others require in order to comment on
the City's services and activities, allows for the influencing of City activities
and decisions and initiating change. This results in trust, enabling the City to
manage its services and activities more effectively and efficiently. Information
provided by the City must be accessible, understandable, and provided in the
appropriate format. In providing information or data, the City must balance
this obligation with other legal and regulatory obligations. The City will
continue to comply with legislation that protects certain information.
Whenever meaningful information is withheld, an explanation will be given as
to why.
All information should be provided in clear, simple language. City
information that is provided publicly should be provided in clear, plain
language. Whenever there is a requirement to provide information in a certain
way in order to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations, a plain language
description will also be provided.
Information deemed to be in the public interest is to be updated
regularly, consistently and as much as possible, proactively. Processes
will be established to ensure information is updated and remains relevant
following initial provision of the information. The City is committed to evolving
the culture of the organization toward being `open by default', where
meaningful information is provided to the public proactively and not based on
reaction to requests.
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
6. POLICY COMMITMENTS
The City has put and/or is putting in place a number of activities and actions
supporting Accountability and Transparency. Following is a summary of the key
methods through which the principles are practiced and adhered to. The City
strives to meet these commitments and it must be understood that City resources
— human, financial and technical — have limitations based on operating and
capital budgets, which are developed with public consultation.
Council Meetings
The City provides the public with information on the role and responsibilities
of the Mayor and city Councillors. The time and dates of meetings, agendas
and reports under consideration are made available to the public in advance
of public deliberations. All staff reports to Council or Committees of Council
are written using a standard report template in clear non-technical language
where possible, providing the reader with full information on the topic. A
digital repository is used to maintain up-to-date records of Council by-laws,
reports and minutes and is openly accessible to the general public. All
meetings of Council and Committees of Council are open to the public, with
exceptions as permitted by the Municipal Act, and members of the public are
invited to be delegations to Council to ask questions or discuss specific
issues. Agendas for closed meetings of Council provide as much information
as possible without revealing confidential information.
Budgets and Business Plans
The City publishes the annual proposed budget and business plan written in
plain language in both print and digital formats, which is replaced by the
annual approved budget once it has been ratified by Council. Budget
deliberations are held in public sessions in Council, and members of the
public are encouraged to provide input and comments. Budget variance
reports, financial indicators and business plan status updates are published
throughout the year with explanations provided for deviations. Proposed and
actual expenditures of development charges are reported regularly. Audited
financial statements accompanied by plain language explanations are
published annually.
Public Services
The City proactively provides information to the public on the services that are
provided, the processes for accessing public services including fees and
timelines, and contact information for key personnel, making the information
easily accessible and using plain language. The City has expanded its
internet and social media presence including online services. Feedback and
complaint mechanisms are in place using a range of channels. The City's
internal audit function has a broad mandate to review the efficiency and
effectiveness of City operations under Council's direction.
KITCHENER Page 4 of 7 JANUARY 2014
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
Procurement
The City has a comprehensive, clear and understandable framework for the
open and transparent procurement of goods and services. Opportunities are
openly advertised and bids are opened publicly. Selection criteria are clear,
awards are fully disclosed, and mechanisms are in place to dispute a contract
award. Standardized documents and e-procurement technology are used to
provide simple, secure and efficient processes and provide accurate and
timely disclosure of information for potential contractors and the general
public. The City has in place by-laws and procedures guiding the authority of
staff to enter into contractual agreements within defined limits. By-laws and
procedures also provide guidance for City land acquisition and sale.
Conflict of Interest
The City applies clear rules and guidelines for the disclosure and
management of conflicts of interest to ensure decisions are not improperly
affected by self-interest. Direction is provided for offers of gifts and hospitality
to prevent special interests from attempting to offer staff or members of
Council items or services of value in return for favours. A code of conduct has
been established for members of Council. Employment of relatives of staff
and members of Council is limited through policy. The Integrity Commissioner
role has been established to review potential conflicts of interest.
Records Management and Access to Information
The City maintains sound records management practices, ensuring that
accurate and reliable records are created and remain accessible, usable and
authentic for as long as they are needed. A wide range of information and
records are proactively made available to the public online, and routinely
available information that is not available online can be requested directly
from the service area or division responsible for the information. Records or
information that is not routinely disclosed can be requested by making a
Freedom of Information Request and the City will make every attempt to
provide appropriate access to records while respecting the need for privacy,
in accordance with legislation.
Open Data
In support of transparency, the City is making its data "open by default". The
prioritization for publishing open data is complemented by community
engagement with citizens, businesses and other public sector organizations.
The City strives to make this data machine and human readable, and
releases public information that helps reveal and inform decision-making as
open datasets. The City has created specific requirements, which are
evolving, for ongoing updates of open data, and aims to release its data in a
timely manner, dependent on the nature of the data. Open data is seen as a
KITCHENER Page 5 of 7 JANUARY 2014
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
collaborative community undertaking to meet the needs of the community,
and to monitor changes within the open government data community.
Citizen Engagement
The City has adopted a commitment to effectively involving the community in
public decision-making processes. A community engagement framework has
been established and training is provided for city staff, to provide direction
and guidance on the development and implementation of community
engagement processes. As standard practice, staff reports to Council are
required to indicate the way in which members of the community will be/have
been involved in the issue at hand, if applicable. The City has a current policy
regarding public notice requirements. Citizens and community members can
also get involved through various citizen committees and boards. Citizen
committees provide advice and feedback to City Council and standing
committees on a variety of issues or topics, including arts and culture,
accessibility, downtown, the environment and the City's strategic plan;
whereas boards have the autonomy to make decisions for the good of their
organizations.
7. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The City Clerk holds an oversight role for this Policy and is the first point of
contact regarding the Policy. Staff and Council have responsibility for various
actions and activities related to the policy and in support of the open government
principles of accountability and transparency.
8. APPOINTMENTS
Under part VI of the Municipal Act, the City is authorized to appoint the following:
Integrity Commissioner, Lobbyist registry, Ombudsman, and Auditor General.
New appointments are reviewed as deemed required by staff or Council.
Continuations or renewals of existing appointments are reviewed before the
expiration of the current contact term(s).
9. REVIEW AND REPORTING
This Policy will be reviewed once during each term of Council for relevance,
currency and accuracy including the review of activities and commitments in
place to support accountability and transparency. The Policy is intended to
provide general and relevant direction, on which to build supporting actions.
KITCHENER Page 6 of 7 JANUARY 2014
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
Progress toward becoming more accountable and transparent will be reported
through reporting on actions in the upcoming 4-year action plan, supporting the
City's Open Government Framework.
KITCHENER Page 7 of 7 JANUARY 2014
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Appendix C: Current Corporate Accountability and Transparency Policy—October 2008
COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION
POLICY NUMBER: 1-15 DATE: December 10, 2007
Amended : October 6, 2008
POLICY TYPE: ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY
POLICY CONTENT:
1. The Corporation of the City of Kitchener is committed to the
fundamental principles of accountability and transparency as a
matter of good governance.
In addition, the Province of Ontario, through the Municipal Act 2001
(the "Act"), requires that:
a) one role of Council is "to ensure the accountability and
transparency of the operations of the municipality, including
the activities of the senior management of the municipality".
(the Act, section 224(d.1)); and
b) that municipalities must adopt and maintain a policy with
respect to "the manner in which the municipality will try to
ensure that it is accountable to the public for its actions, and
the manner in which the municipality will try to ensure that its
actions are transparent to the public".(the Act, section
270(1), para. 5).
The City of Kitchener is committed to creating a culture wherein
Council and staff are aware of and understand the principles of
accountability and transparency articulated through this policy, and
will support and contribute to the spirit and intent of the policy. This
requires the leadership of Council and senior management to
ensure these principles are practiced and adhered to throughout
the corporation.
The City of Kitchener will foster a safe environment that allows all
stakeholders of this policy to participate freely, without fear of
reprisal or retribution.
The City of Kitchener will conduct its business openly, honestly,
ethically and with integrity.
KITCHENER Page 1 of 12 JULY 2013
6 - 29
Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
2. What do ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY Mean?
For the purposes of this policy, the City of Kitchener adopts the
following definitions:
Accountability: is a relationship based on the obligation to
demonstrate and take responsibility for performance, in light of
agreed expectations.
Transparency: is a process in the accountability relationship that
ensures access to clear, understandable information free from
pretence and deceit, which will improve the results of the
Corporation's services and activities and, enhance public trust.
3. ACCOUNTABILITY - Components
(a) There must be clearly defined Roles, Responsibilities and
Relationships for all those who are a party to this policy.
There is a need for all stakeholders to this policy to have a
good understanding of the roles and responsibilities of
parties involved in the accountability relationship.
i) Stakeholders to the policy include: citizens and
businesses within the City of Kitchener; Council and
staff of the corporation; other governments and
agencies; and, any other person or entity that is
affected by the actions or inactions of the corporation.
ii) The roles and responsibilities of the corporation must
be clearly defined. In the context of other levels of
government, it should be articulated as to which
government is responsible for what services. Within
the corporation, the roles of Council and staff need to
be easily understood and the responsibility of services
provided, clearly acknowledged.
iii) The relationship between the corporation as a service
provider, and stakeholders as customers, requires an
understanding of the expectations of both provider
and customer. The roles and responsibilities of
stakeholders that utilize the services of the
corporation must also be clearly defined in order to
ensure the service is provided in a fair, equitable and
timely manner and that the agreed outcomes are
achieved.
KITCHENER Page 2 of 12 JULY 2013
6 - 30
Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
3. ACCOUNTABILITY — Components, Cont'd
(b) Actions will be consistent with clearly understood
expectations.
Accountability requires that expectations are mutually
understood and agreed upon. This includes the need to
agree on what each stakeholder is expected to contribute to
the end result, and what the desired outcome should be.
Simply, each service and business process offered by the
corporation should be clearly explained and outlined to
include what is expected from the customer and what the
customer can expect from the corporation.
In setting expectations and reaching agreement,
expectations may be implied or explicit. In many cases there
will be a reasonable expectation based on common sense or
normal practices and in other cases the outcome or
expectation will need to be specifically given and
acknowledged. Agreement on expected outcomes is not
between an individual and the corporation, but rather, is
between collective stakeholders and the corporation.
Wherever possible the anticipated outcome of any service
provided by the corporation will be given explicitly so as to
be clear on what the customer may expect. This could be
accomplished through the corporate performance
measurement process wherein some business functions of
the corporation are identified along with a measurable
process and expected outcome.
c) There must be a reasonable balance between expectations
and capacities.
Without a link between what is expected and resources
available to meet that expectation, accountability will be
undermined. Stakeholders expectations may change from
time to time; however, all expectations must be balanced
against the City's authority, available skills and resources
required to achieve the expected outcome.
KITCHENER Page 3 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
3. ACCOUNTABILITY — Components, Cont'd
d) There must be clear and timely reporting on actions
Accountability requires that there be a process in place to
report on the actions taken or not taken. This reporting to
stakeholders must be seen as credible, the information
useful, accurate and timely. Reporting on actions of the
Corporation should be more than just the annual financial
statements; encompassing strategic accomplishments and
results from the performance measurement process.
Reporting shall be clear, easy to understand and accessible
to all stakeholders.
e) Reasonable review and adjustment
Accountable reporting will highlight both areas where expectations have
been met, as well as those which have not. Results should be assessed in
light of circumstances that existed. Achievements should be recognized.
Where expectations have clearly not been met, adjustment and corrective
actions may need to be made, and lessons-learned noted for posterity. An
accountability relationship without follow-up is clearly incomplete and
unlikely to be effective.
4. TRANSPARENCY - Components
a) Corporate information must to be fully accessible, within
legal and/or ethical limitations.
Transparency is fundamentally about empowerment and
trust. Providing the information that stakeholders require in
order to monitor and comment on the corporation's services
and activities, empowers them to influence corporate
behaviour and initiate change. In return the corporation
builds trust enabling it to manage its services and activities
more effectively and efficiently.
In order to provide stakeholders the ability to participate in
the accountability relationship the information provided by
the corporation must be accessible, understandable and
meaningful. The corporation will endeavour to provide
meaningful information in the most accessible, appropriate
and efficient medium.
KITCHENER Page 4 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
4. TRANSPARENCY — Components, Cont'd
In providing information the corporation must balance this
obligation with other legal, regulated and ethical obligations.
The corporation will continue to comply with legislation that
protects certain information and be cognizant of its
capacities to provide information. Transparency is essentially
an issue of access to meaningful information and does not
equate to `all the information, all the time'. Whenever
meaningful information is withheld due to overriding reasons,
an explanation will be given as to why.
b) All corporate information should to be provided in clear,
simple language.
Corporate information that is provided publicly should be
given in clear, easy to understand language. Whenever
there is a requirement to provide information in a certain way
in order to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations, an
explanation in easy- to- understand language must also be
provided.
C) Information deemed to be in the public interest is to be
updated regularly, consistently and as much as possible,
proactively.
Providing information in an accessible way is the first step to
being more transparent but in order to maintain the
relevancy of the information it must be kept up to date on a
regular and consistent basis. Processes will be established
to ensure information is updated and that new business
processes will include a transparency review.
The corporation is committed to evolving the culture of the
organization where meaningful information is provided to all
stakeholders proactively and not based on reaction to
requests.
KITCHENER Page 5 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
5. IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY
Attached to and forming part of this policy are Schedules `A' and
`B'. Schedule `A' will outline the manner in which the Corporation
will implement this policy. The Schedule will cover a specific period
of time and requires review and updating to ensure the corporation
is continually monitoring its process and making adjustments and
improvements as required. At a minimum a review of Schedule `A'
will take place during each term of Council and changes made will
be adopted by Council resolution.
Schedule `B' provides information on various policies, practices and
legislated requirements that the corporation has in place which form
part of the accountability and transparency process. Changes made
to this Schedule may be done by staff in the Office of the City Clerk
as necessary.
Appointments under Part V.1 of the Municipal Act
Part V.1 of the Municipal Act authorizes the City to appoint: a
Registrar for lobbying matters; an Ombudsman; or, an Auditor
General. The powers and duties of these positions are provided in
the Act. During each term of Council, the appointment or, continued
appointment of any of these positions shall be reviewed by Council.
KITCHENER Page 6 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULE `A'
STEPS TO BECOMING MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT
2008-2010
The Corporation of the City of Kitchener has many processes in place to
ensure access to information but recognizes that steps must be taken to
expand and enhance the current level of transparency and processes put
into place to ensure an accountability relationship between the corporation
and its stakeholders.
At this point in time it is felt that the Internet offers one of the better
solutions as a depository of pertinent corporate information; but this is not
the only way information will be provided. Information will be posted on the
corporate website, which can be printed by any member of staff with
internet access. Any stakeholder wishing to receive a printed version of
the information posted on the website may do so by visiting Kitchener
Public Libraries and most community centres where there is free Internet
access, and/or by visiting City Hall where the information can be printed
out by staff. In some initiatives listed in this Schedule, whenever it is more
convenient to the stakeholder to do so, the information will be printed.
Information will also be presented through corporate print publications
including Your Kitchener.
The following are the steps, initiatives and steps to be taken and
completed by January 1, 2010:
Roles and Responsibilities
• Information shall be posted that explains the roles and
responsibilities of the City, Region and Province; `Who Does
What!'
• All Departments to ensure that all services provided to the public
are clearly explained with contact information and that information
is to be easily found and maintained
• All public business processes are to be fully explained in order to
be easily understood with clear instructions and what is expected
of the applicant/citizen
• Departments will provide information that will explain the role of
the City in a business process, expected outcome(s) and expected
timelines/milestones to complete the process
KITCHENER Page 7 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULE `A', CONT'D
Council Business
• All staff reports going to Council and / or Committees of Council are
to be written using the standard Report template and shall be
written in clear non-technical language providing the reader with full
information of the topic
• All reports going to Council and / or Committees' of Council along
with attachments shall be posted
• Agenda cover pages for in-camera meetings shall be made public
containing as much information as possible on the items for
discussion without revealing confidential or personal information
Financial Matters
• Adopted Divisional, Departmental and Corporate operating budgets
will be posted
• Updated financial information will be posted and made available 3
times per year consistent with the policy on financial reporting to
Council
• The 10 year Capital Forecast will be posted and updated annually
• All major current capital projects will be posted, showing the
budgeted amount, the contract award, the contractor(s), expected
completion date and final outcome
Strategic Matters
• The Corporate Strategic Plan and the Departmental Business Plans
will be posted annually and updated
• The Performance Measurement Project will be fully implemented
no later than January 1, 2010 and metrics and measurements of all
business processes included in the project are to be posted and
updated annually
KITCHENER Page 8 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULE `A', CONT'D
Strategic Matters. Cont'd
• All public notices are to be standardised with simple, clear and
easily understood language and will be posted on the internet in
addition to the requirements of the Notice Policy
• Development of a `Routine Disclosure' policy under the Municipal
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act which will
provide information to the public that is consistently requested
either through a department or through MFOIPP legislation
Reporting and Review
• Annual Report and Audited financial statement to be posted in
clear, easy to understand language
• Annually report on corporate strategic/business plans and
performance measurements
• Annual report to include accomplishments and where expectations
have not been met, an explanation as to why and steps to be taken
for improvement.
KITCHENER Page 9 of 12 JULY 2013
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Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULES'
Activity Area Comments
Responsible
External Audit Finance/ The preparation and presentation of the Financial Statements
CAO's Office and related information contained in this annual report are the
responsibility of the management team of the City of Kitchener.
In order to discharge its responsibilities, management has
instituted a system of internal controls which is intended to
safeguard assets and to provide accurate, timely and complete
financial information for both internal decision making and
external reporting. As required by the Municipal Act, City
Council has appointed an accounting firm who annually express
an independent audit opinion on management's Consolidated
Financial Statements.
See Municipal Code Chapter 13 (Auditor) & Council Policy 1-66
(Audit Committee - Terms of Reference) for additional
information
Internal Audit CAO's Office Performance Measurement & Internal Audit provides the City of
Kitchener and its various departments with internal audit
services including financial, compliance, and process audits.
This role is also responsible for implementing performance
measurement across all City divisions which involves assisting
divisions develop goals, desired results and metrics to measure
the achievement of those goals and results.
Purchasing Finance The City of Kitchener engages in a variety of activities to provide
by-law and municipal services to its residents, including gas and water
reporting distribution, street maintenance, community services,
cemeteries, fire fighting, and traffic and parking services. A
wide variety of equipment, supplies and services must be
purchased for departments performing these services. The
responsibility for the acquisition of all materials, equipment and
services falls to the Purchasing Division of the Financial
Services Department. Purchasing is also mandated to ensure
that the purchase, lease or rental of goods and services is
compliant with the City of Kitchener's Purchasing By-Law.
See Municipal Code Chapter 170 (Purchasing and Materials
Management) or contact:
KITCHENER Page 10 of 12 JULY 2013
6 - 38
Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULE S%% CONT'D
Financial Audit Audit Committee is a sub-committee of the Finance & Corporate
Management Committee Services Standing Committee and reports quarterly on matters
related to: corporate financial statements; the audit process;
general oversight of financial controls/reporting; compliance with
financial regulations/policies; and, performance measurements.
See Council Policy 1-66 (Audit Committee - Terms of
Reference) for additional information
Development Finance Annual reporting of the actual expenditures and proposed
Charges By- expenditures is required. Also a legislated requirement to review
law the by-law within a 5 year time frame.
See Municipal Code Chapter 315 (Development Charges) &
Chapter 320 (Development Charges - Sewer and Water Impost)
Execution of Corporate This by-law sets out the authority of staff to sign documents.
Documents Services The by-law augments the purchasing by-law however it is not
By-law limited to purchases. This by-law allows staff to enter into
contractual agreements within defined limits. The requirement to
escalate signing of documents is also outlined in the bylaw
See Municipal Code Chapter 160 (Execution of Documents)
Notice Corporate Council has a current policy requiring the notification of public.
requirements Services
See Council Policy 1-287 (Public Notice - Municipal Act 2001, As
Amended)
Code of Ethics Human This policy requires that City staff must be independent,
for staff Resources impartial and responsible to the public interest in carrying out
their duties. City employees must not place their private
interests above their public duties
See Council Policy 11-25 (Code of Conduct— Staff)
Acquisition Legal This policy defines the requirements for the sale and acquisition
and sale of Services of land.
land
Municipal Code Chapter 177 (Sale— Real Property)
KITCHENER Page 11 of 12 JULY 2013
6 - 39
Policy Number: 1-15
Policy Type: Council
Subject: Corporate Accountability & Transparency
SCHEDULE `B', CONT'D
Employment Human This policy was developed as a response to changes made to
of Relatives Resources the Municipal Act, 2001. The policy identifies that the City will
not hire a spouse, parent, or child of an elected official, CAO, or
member of senior management (Commissioner and Director)). It
also limits where spouse, parent or child may be hired if the
existing employee is in management/supervision.
Council Policy II-125 (Employment of Relatives of Staff
Members and Elected Officials
Closed Corporate Provides direction on when and how items are to be submitted
Meeting Services for Council's consideration in-camera (meaning meetings closed
Requirements to the general public) and provides policy on authorization for in-
camera items.
Council Policy I-32 (Protocol for In-Camera Meetings)
Financial Financial Responsible for the compilation of the annual operating and
reports and Planning and capital budgets, financial statement preparation, provincial grant
general Reporting submissions, investment management and special financial
reporting to Division analysis.
the Province
and Federal
Government
Fees and Lead Finance See Comprehensive Fee Review
Charges /All
Departments
Freedom of Corporate See Council Policy 1-165 (Municipal Freedom of Information
Information Services and Protection of Privacy Act - Appointments) & Council Policy
1-550 (Freedom of Information Access Fee)
Strategic Corporate
Planning Management See Municipal Code Chapter 115 (Corporate Management
Team Team)
Public meeting Planning Legislated requirements of the Planning Act with respect to
Planning Act public meetings. Also, See Land Use Council Policy I-1095
(Public Participation)
KITCHENER Page 12 of 12 JULY 2013
6 - 40
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6 - 43
Appendix E: Open Government Action Plan 2014-2017
City of Kitchener
Open Government Action Plan
KjTc,'HF,I NFR
January 2014
6 - 44
Introduction
Open government is the belief that governments have a responsibility to their citizens to be
accountable, transparent and participatory. Open government provides citizens with
opportunities to learn about and participate in government processes, through better access to
public information and deliberations. Societal shifts have seen a greater citizen interest in
government activities and accountability, at the same time as social media and online
collaboration/networking tools have improved citizen access to public information. The City of
Kitchener has taken significant steps in pursuit of becoming more transparent and accountable,
and continues to take steps towards policies and programs that promote open government for its
citizens in the long-term.
Kitchener's Open Government Framework
Kitchener's vision for open government is: "To provide a City government that is transparent and
accountable to its citizens, with opportunities for meaningful, accessible public participation, made
possible through innovation, technology and collaboration."
wl� •
Kitchener's Action Plan
This plan is a comprehensive supporting action plan with specific deliverables for the timeframe
2014-2017.Through citizen and other stakeholder consultation, areas with the most potential for
gain or improvement have been incorporated into this plan, to support the open government
vision. The plan represents steps the City will take in support of each of the 3 principles of
Participation, Transparency and Accountability, and key priorities the City can deliver on in the 4-
year period. Priorities identified in this action plan will be connected to the City's annual business
planning process for prioritization and resourcing review as required. Progress will be monitored
and reported on regularly, and full review/refresh of the action plan will take place toward the end
of the 4-year timeframe.
1
6 - 45
Open Government to Improve Participation
Through public participation the City seeks to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate,
provide input and make contributions that lead to more responsive, innovative and effective
governance.To achieve a greater degree of public participation Kitchener will undertake the
following:
Supporting
Action Year Lead Division Division(s)
1. Community Engagement Policy:
• Develop a Community Engagement Policy, 2014 Integrated Community
engaging Compass Kitchener and other Planning Programs &
stakeholders for input Services,
FCS
Administration
2. e-Participation:
• Research approaches to online 2014 Communications IT
participation which enhance public & Marketing/
engagement Integrated
• Enhance participation via the City's 2014-2017 Planning
website
• Implement new online participation 2015-2017
approaches
2
6 - 46
Open • to Increase Transparency
Transparency is the principle that City information and decision are open and freely available for
public review and discussion. The City of Kitchener is committed to improve its transparency
through the following actions:
Supporting
Action Year Lead Division Division(s)
1. Open Data:
• Launch the City's Open Data portal with 2014 IT Operating
initial priority data sets Divisions
• Build awareness and use of the data sets 2014
through outreach activities, including a
potential "hackathon" or app
development contest
• Build and enhance the portal with future 2015-2017
data sets
• Formalize internal open data operations 2015-2017
and processes
2. Website Improvements:
• Improve the City's website to enhance 2015-2017 Communications IT,
ease of access to information & Marketing Operating
Divisions
3. Open Process/Decisions:
• Communicate the processes of Council 2015-2016 Legislated Communications
decision making and the opportunities for Services & Marketing
community participation
4. Open by Default:
• Develop and implement systems,training 2015-2017 Legislated Operating
and procedures- including routine and Services Divisions
proactive disclosure procedures -to instill
the operational principle that City data
and information, past, current and future,
should be made available to the public,
subject to legislative constraints
3
6 - 47
By being accountable the City has established rules and guidelines that ensure the City is able to
explain its actions to the public.The City will undertake the following to enhance its
accountability:
Supporting
Action Year Lead Division Division(s)
1. Strategic Plan Community Assessment:
• Explore citizen survey results through 2014 Integrated Communications
Compass Kitchener community Planning & Marketing
consultation to understand feedback and
priorities for Accountability
• Identify any related strategic directions 2014
for the City Strategic Plan 2015-2018
2. City Website Improvements:
• Improve the City's website to clarify roles 2014-2015 Communications IT/Operating
of City vs. other levels of government & Marketing Divisions
3. Accessible Reporting:
• Continue to improve and expand training 2014-2017 Communications Operating
and guidelines for staff on plain language & Marketing Divisions
and accessibility requirements
• Develop a multi-channel approach to
providing City reports in readily accessible 2016-2017
and understandable formats for citizens
and businesses
4. Open Government Progress Reporting:
• Implement a reporting tool and process 2015-2017 FCS Operating
to monitor progress, refresh actions, and Administration Divisions
communicate progress and current status identified as Leads
of Open Government in the City in this action plan
4
6 - 48
Open Data Kitchener
Implementation Executive Summary
Y*,.,Tc,HF,NER
Prepared y
Jury Ko irn
G ovF u-t u fires Group
January 014„
6 - 49
Open Data Kitchener
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnmary January 2014
6 - 50
Open Data Kitchener
INTRODUCTION
Open Government is a strategic initiative of the City of IKitchener which focuses
on the key principles of being Fransparent, Accountable and Participatory.,
Open Data is a foundational component of open government and is key to
advancing the principle of transparency.,
rho What and Why of Open Data
Open data is cornrnonly defined as "A piece of doto or content is open if onyone
is free to use, reuse, ond redistribute it— subject only, ot n7ost, to the
requirement to ottribute ondlor shore-olike." It also has the attribute of being
machine (cornputer) readable and is typically free front cost to users.,
Fhe value of open data comes front the I by I together with the
efficiencies created for government and the innovative value-added products
and services (e.g. I applications). Open data benefits government, citizens
and businesses.,
Open Data Framework
Fo move open data front concept to pro rare operations,
Key Components
IM there is a need for an open data frarnewol ..Fhe key
components al Governance - managing the pro rail
Open Data Portal -physical access to open data; Cornrnunity
Supporting Infrastructure 0 gagernent -collaborating with the users; Standards -
Open Data/IM Policy Data -nizing use of the data; and Operations -executing the
TechnologylnfIIastructure ial Rp.,ources
re optk
ice i5 policies and processes to sustain the pro rail
Fhere is also a supporting infrastructure that completes the requirernents for an
open data pro rail Information Managernent policy, Fechnology, Data and
11 lurnan and Financial Resources.,
GOVERNANCE, PRINCIPLES AND POLICY
Governonce
As the open data pro rare falls within the open government initiative, it is
recommended that the overall responsibility and accountability for open data
reside with the Deputy CAO of Finance and Corporate Services., In a similar vein
it is practical to leverage an existing Steering/Governance Cornrnittee to have
responsibility for the strategic aspects of open data., For operational purposes,
an Open Data Working Group should be responsible for addressing any issues
and provide recommendations to the steering cornrnittee on pro rare
strategies., It is further recommended that an Open Data Coordination function
City of IKitchener Implementation Executive Sull January 2014
6 - 51
Open Data Kitchener
be formalized and reside in the Clerk's Office with technology infrastructure and
support being provided by the Information Fechnology division.,
Open Dato Principles
Fhere are community defined principles which were developed by the Sunlight
Foundation that have been adopted by open data practitioners., Fhe "Fen
Principles for Opening L.Jp Government Information" are noted as::
Completeness, Primacy, Firneliness, Ease of Physical and Electronic Access,
Machine Readability, Non discrimination, L.Jse of Commonly Owned Standards,
Licensing, Permanence, and L.Jsage Costs., Details may be found here
http:ZZsunlightfoundation.comZpolicyZdocumentsZten-open-data-principles
Open Dato Policy
In the short term, there may be value in considering a reference to open data in
the updated Accountability and Fransparency policy., In the longer term, it is
recommended that a comprehensive Information Management policy be
developed that would include open data and records management.
OPEN DATA STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Open Dato Standords
For optimal use of open data, it is important to use common standards (also
noted as a principle). Fhere are a number of standards to be considered with
one of the most important being the dotaformots that open data will be
published in., Standard formats are CSV, XLS, FX F, XML, JSON and Shp,
IKML/IKMZ, geoJSON and Mr SID. Fo support the understanding of each data set,
there is a need for meta data (data about data) with recommended standards
being the Dublin Core plus a quality attribute for non-spatial data and the ISO
19115 NAP standard for GIS/geospatial data., Linked Open Dato standard is
forward looking towards the semantic web providing relationships among data.,
Fhis should be a future consideration and not required for the inaugural launch.
Fhere is a new standard that is in development, Open Dato Reference Model,
ti
that seeks to standardize the thematic categories for data sets as well as the
actual data set name. A very important standard is the Open Dato Terms of Use
Agreen7enVUser License. Fhere has been a recent development in 2013 that
saw the federal government, several provinces and some municipalities,
including Foronto, adopting a new "Open Government License". It is important
that at minimum,the local open data government community (Le. within the
geographic extent of Waterloo Region) use the same license -this is a task that
should be undertaken as a collaborative project among interested
municipalities.
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Summary January 2014
2
6 - 52
Open Data Kitchener
Open Dato Technology Considerotions
As noted in the framework rnodel, information technology is a critical part of
the supporting infrastructure., Fhe technology needs to rnanage the data,
provide an open data portal/catalogue to access the data and to allow back-end
(behind the scenes) autornated uploading of data., Fhe specific technologies to
Ise considered are:: Open Data Catalogue, Extract-Fransforrn-Load (some
inhouse already)tools, APIls (Application Programming Interface),Analytics and
Visualization (longer term), Community Engagement tools (corporate need not
just open data) and portal content rnanagernent system (distributed content
editing capabilities for staff).
OPEN DATA OPERATIONS
Fhe key elernents for open data operations may be described in terms of
Information Management, Open Data Processes and 11 lurnan and Financial
Resources.,
Informotion Monogement
Open Data should be viewed as a component of the rnuch larger Information
Management ecosystem, Open Data together with areas such as open
inforrnation/open knowledge, records rnanagernent and archiving all need to be
working together for optirn urn efficiencies and effectiveness in providing access
to both staff and citizens., Since open data touches most of the information
touch points, there is an opportunity to allow innovation by staff.,
Open Dato Processes
Fhere are a variety of processes required
as part of an open data operational
pro rare. Fhe processes may be defined
as data lifecycle processes, open data
requests and eligibility, open data
prioritization, open data meta data, open
data maintenance and open data rnetrics.
Whether it's open data or another
business process,the basic doto lifecycle
=
processes are the same as illustratecd., a Z'
An important process relates to the doto request on eligibility process as
illustrated., Irrespective of the source of the request, the process to decide the
eligibility of the data requested rnust follow the same process., Fhere are a
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnrnary January 2014
6 - 53
Open Data Kitchener
Open Data"uests variety of approaches to this process in existing open data jurisdictions but the
fundarnental filtering process(e.g. ownership, privacy) is the sarne. Fhere
city
should be defined tirnefrarne for responding to data requests which could align
Other
current FOIl requests., Fhis is another potential opportunity to collaborate
with existing open data jurisdictions to look to standardize the processes for the
benefit of citizens., In a similar vein, it would be ideal to establish the same open
data prioritization process., Again, there are a variety of approaches being used
including a long standing "Data Set Scoring Criteria" used by City of Vancouver
ffiat focuses on:: resource (requirernents), Value and Dernand (of the data set)
and Legal considerations (Le. privacy and risk). Open Dato Metodoto (data
about data) process is not cornplicated if efficient tools are provided to facilitate
input and autornating the update process as rnuch as possible should be a goal.,
Open Dato Mointenonce processes essentially relate to the existing business
processes and software that updates the databases., Fhere is also the
requirement to define business rules and autornate the load process to publish
updates to the open data catalogue., Open Dato Metrics should be an
autornated process that collects metrics and autornatically reports and provides
analysis of data use., Fhere is an opportunity for the City to become a use case
in a Master's thesis on metrics being undertaken at the L.Jniversity of Waterloo.,
Humon on Finonciol Resources
For the most part, Harr on Resource requirements won't change the nurnber of
staff but rather some of their responsibilities., Fhe key change relates to the
need for an Open Data Lead/Coordinator for the longer terra and the logical
location for this role would fall with the Manager of Records Management and
Archives within the Legislated Services Division., Fhere is a need for an l F
Fechnical Lead which can be accommodated within the existing l F structure.,
Fhere are business unit data specialists -these individuals should also become
"Open Data Stewards". Fhere are also requirements for Open Data Custodians
(e.g. l F DBAs), community ern gagernent officer(s), and communications officers
to support the open data pro rare.
Fhere are a variety of Finonciol Resource considerations which could impact on
the costs associated with the pro rare. Fhese variables include, but are not
Iii-nited to:: existing or new staff; technology decisions;the rate of
implementation; integration with related initiatives; and potential collaborative
undertakings.,
OPEN DATA PORTAL
Design on Functionclity
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surni-nary January 2014
6 - 54
Open Data Kitchener
Fhe basic differentiator in open data websites is whether there is simply an
open data catalogue (access to the data) or an open data portal which provides
rnuch more information that's usable by a greater percentage of the citizenry., It
is recommended that the City undertake the development of an open data
portal., Fhe functional requirements of the portal should relate to an enhanced
user experience, enhanced open data search capabilities, and extensive output
options., Functions should be developed incrementally as resources allow.,
Content—Open Dato on Reloted Information
Fhe Open Data portal should contain related information including:: Introduction
to Open Data, Open Data References, News/Cornrnunity Page, Open Data
Metrics and Ideation feedback., Fhe following are the recommended data to be
considered for publishing as open data in the inaugural portal launch::
• GIS/Geospatial Data including:: Base data (e.g. roads); Recreation and
Culture data (e.g. parks); Administrative boundaries (e.g. Wards);
Infrastructure (e.g. bridges); Environmental data (e.g. rivers); Facilities (e.g.
community centres); Land use data (e.g. planning communities); and
Fransportation data (e.g. cycling paths).
• Financial Data, past and present, in its current form transitioning to an open
data format in a timely rnanner;
• Council expenses;
• Econornic development data including dernographics and building permits;
• Events calendar(Council, Committees, Community);
• Directory of City contacts front website;
• List of political candidates (20 14 election); and
• City Policies (could be Word , xrnl and pdf for website).
A review of the City website will reveal that rnuch of this data exists in a form
and should not require too rnuch effort to convert to an open data format using
the appropriate tools., Fhe proposed open data sets for the inaugural launch are
based on a review of a nurnber of factors including:: consultation with the local
open data community, an online survey and the City Advisory Committees; an
open data survey of other municipalities; and discussions within the broader
open data community. Fhere is also an irnrninent nationwide survey going out
to vote on the 10 most wanted municipal data sets., Fhe results of this survey
will be available before the portal launch and should be considered as part of
the prioritization process.,
Metodoto
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnmary January 2014
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Open Data Kitchener
Fhe recommended meta data standards were previously provided., As content,
it is essential that any open data being published has a complete meta data
record., In regards to the "quality" attribute suggested as an add-on to the
Dublin Core standard, it is recommended that the quality description should
relate to "quality standards" set out by the applicable thematic group (e.g.
industry association or ISO).
Sociol Medic
Social rnedia should be integrated as part of the portal design allowing users to
reference the open data site., Fhe inclusion of the City Fwitter stream may be a
consideration and/or the inclusion of the #OpenData hashtag.,
Mointenonce
It is important to continue to refresh the content of the open data portal on an
ongoing basis., Fhe refresh of both the data catalogue and open data portal
material should be communicated to "followers" (e.g. sign-ups for updates).
Fhe use of RSS should be considered and for frequently updated data, the
availability of data access via an APIl should be considered.,
Community Engagement and Communications
Being participatory is one of the open government principles., Fhe open
data initiative affords rnany opportunities for engaging the community.
As a starting point, there is a need to define the stakeholder community.
As illustrated, more often than not, everyone is connected to everyone
else (directly or indirectly). Fhese connections will not necessarily have
dealt with the opportunities of open data as yet so it becornes important
to leverage those connections to optimize the benefit of open data to
the overall community.
Community Engogement Opportunities
As Open Data is a new pro rare, it has the potential for a variety of
community ern gagernent opportunities., Fhe following surnmarize the current
opportunities:: Open Data launch Code Kest(with ODWR community group);
Collaborative Open Data Metrics design (with L.Jniversity of Waterloo); Open
Data Start-up support (with Cornrnunitech); Advisory Committee group
education and opportunities definition; Open Data "Meetup" group (rnany local
informal groups); Open Data Standards collaboration (with industry and
community); and Public Sector Open Data working group (with province and
other practicing open data municipalities).
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnrnary January 2014
6
6 - 56
Open Data Kitchener
Communicotions Considerotions
Fhere is already a Communications Plan in place for the overall Open
Government initiative., Fhe following are a few specific considerations related
to open data::
• News/Blogs -need ongoing open data news to keep site fresh.,
• Social Media -consider Fwitter, Facebook and You Fube for exposure.,
• Ideation -need cornrnitrnent to respond to ideation contributions.,
Fhere is a need to define role of Communications and individual Open Data
team rnernbers. Fhere also needs to be tight integration with any Open
Government communications -in fact, open data should form part of that.,
OPEN DATA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Overview
Fhe road to open data is a long one which
fortunately, can be implemented in a series of steps.,
Fhe illustration defines what may be considered 5
phases of open data., Fhe City is currently at stage 1
............... and seeks to move to phase 2 and possible elernents
G11obaF
3_ ............'En'terpNse Integrafion of phase 3 by Q2 of 2014. Fhis section provides a
Open Data Open Data suggested implementation plan for the inaugural
Portal open data portal launch and follow-on work in year 1
Data as well as a high level year 2-3 roadrnap.,
Cat:a�logue
Startup Yeor One Implementotion
Fhe following are proposed as the goals for the year
1 implementation for Open Data IKitchener::
• Build Teom. Establish Open Data project team & confirm mandate.
• Prepore Open Datc., Develop processes &create initial open data sets
• Develop Open Dato Catologue., Acquire l F infrastructure & data use license.,
• Lounch Open Dato Portol
• Estoblish Community Engogement
It is proposed that the plan to implement and launch the initial open data
catalogue/portal be undertaken in a period of three months and that follow-on
activities until year end 2014 focus on expanding the initial offering and
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnrnary January 2014
7
6 - 57
Open Data Kitchener
addressing community feedback., Fhe Open Data Portal launch and related
activities is proposed for April 2014.
Longer Term Roadmop
As Open Data is the first initiative within the Open Government pro rare, it
becomes important that it have a successful launch and continued success in
the longer term,, As such, the following are the key areas that should be focused
on within the three year tirnefrarne::
• Enterprise Open Dato Progrom. Fhe goal is have open data by default and
that the majority of eligible data is available as open data by year three.,
• Integroted Informotion Monogement Processes. Fhe goa I is to have a
corporate Information Management (II ) policy and processes that support
the effective and efficient rnanagernent of open data pro rare and facilitate
ease of access to data by users.,
• Enhonced Open Dato Portol., Fhe goa I is to provide a portal that provides
value to all citizens and businesses with expanded functionality and
integration/linkages with the corporate website., Part of this could be the
co-developrnent of a federated region-wide or more extensive portal.,
• Exponded Community Involvement. Fhe goal is to expand the open data
community to special interest community groups that could benefit front its
use thereby creating benefit back to the community at large.,
• Optimize Econornic Development Opportunities., Fhe goal is to incorporate
open data as part of the City's econornic development strategy and
continue to collaborate with Cornrnunitech, universities and key business
stakeholders to optimize ROIl of open data.,
• "Smort Community"Catolyst., Open Data is innovative and lends itself to
being a catalyst for a Smart Community initiative., Fhe combination of open
government, open data, a digital information econorny and a desire to
enhance community services lends itself to becorning a "smart community".
Fhe priorities placed on the foregoing will be driven by the assessment of key
challenges and opportunities within City operations and the outcornes of the
strategic planning process in 2014. Fhe challenge will be to decide on the
priorities and ensure the appropriate allocation of resources to optimize the
value to citizens and community wellbeing.
City of Kitchener Implementation Executive Surnmary January 2014
8
6 - 58
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