Geek of the Week: OpenDataBC

With the launch of the Apps for Climate Action contest and the Climate Change Data Catalogue, open-data enthusiasts have reason to be optimistic that the B.C. government will eventually launch a full-scale data portal.

Regardless, Victoria software developer Herb Lainchbury isn’t waiting for the government to act.

In March, he created OpenDataBC, and he’s developing the Web site with the help of a few volunteers.

Their goal is to build a catalogue of publicly available data about the province.

“We’re just creating this site to help make open data about B.C. more visible and accessible to people,” Lainchbury told the Straight.

At the federal level, Vancouver public-policy consultant David Eaves is taking a similar approach with Datadotgc.ca, which launched in April.

You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.