Statistics Canada Launches Portal to Improve Access to Municipal-Level Data

OTTAWA, ON, March 23, 2023 /CNW/ - Statistics Canada (StatCan) is thrilled to announce the launch of the Centre for Municipal and Local Data (CMLD) portal, developed as part of an ongoing collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and as part of StatCan's Disaggregated Data Action Plan (DDAP).

Designed to provide Canadians with more data about our economy, society, and environment at a local level, the portal includes:

• a data integration and visualisation tool which displays a set of key indicators geographically
• a data catalogue of statistics and indicators relevant to municipalities, such as the integration of census data, as well as housing, health and crime statistics
• a municipal mapping function
• a municipal financial and socioeconomic dashboard which currently allows for comparisons across 35 Canadian cities on standard financial indicators, including those relating to infrastructure spending, as well as allowing integration of selected socioeconomic indicators

The new portal arrives as StatCan and the FCM embark on the third year of a partnership aimed at raising awareness and expanding the use of StatsCan's data at the municipal and local level, strengthening data literacy and reducing data gaps in all communities.

The portal will continue to be updated to reflect changing data needs of municipal governments.

"A large share of public decisions that shape the fundamental character of our way of life are made at the municipal level. Statistics Canada is proud of its continued partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and remains committed to improving access to municipal-level data, including disaggregated data, and establishing greater data-sharing and collaboration that foster data-driven decision making to meet the needs of Canadians in their communities."
? Anil Arora, Chief Statistician of Canada

"As the level of government closest to the everyday lives of Canadians, municipalities depend on reliable data to make important policy decisions that are impactful, equitable, inclusive, and will improve Canadians' quality of life in tangible ways. FCM congratulates StatCan on its new portal and looks forward to continuing to work together to advance the data-related needs of municipalities."
? Carole Saab, Chief Executive Officer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

SOURCE Statistics Canada