New Resto-Net app and OpenGov Guide

This Week

  • Jean Bagdoo of Montreal released Restonet Montreal to the Android App Store this week. The app, inspired by our retired Resto-Net project, was given the Public Choice Award at Google Montreal’s DevFest 2013. Using open data from the City of Montreal, the tool visualizes the official inspection data of food establishments and allows users to view the latest offenses, the frequency and degree of fines, make searches by name to check if an establishment has been in violation, and show their position on Google Maps.

  • Code for America has opened up its Brigade program to international organizers and have launched with partners in IrelandJapan and Poland. If you’re interested in setting up a brigade in your own city, you can do so here.

  • Last week, Open North board member David Eaves published an opinion piece in the Toronto Star about “the promise and challenges of open government”. The piece focuses on Ontario’s recently announced open government initiative and the difficulties its newly formed task force, of which David is a part of, will face in the coming months.

  • The OGP recently launched their online OpenGovGuide which is a thorough resource for governments to advance transparency, accountability and participation. If you’re interested in other resources about government transparency and open data, visit our community page where we list other guides and contacts to relevant communities in Canada.