What’s new on the Open Science and Data Platform: Winter 2023

The Open Science and Data Platform (OSDP) now provides access to over 146k records, including maps, datasets and science publications, that can be used to help us understand how our actions affect our environment. This latest update brings thousands of new datasets and publications, with information on key priorities such as energy transportation, preserving critical habitats and public safety.

New contributors

In this latest update, the governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador have all joined the long list of contributing organizations, providing datasets on forestry, mining, parks and recreation, and more.

Infrastructure and Transportation???

Interested in energy and transportation corridors? The Open Science Data Platform allows you to visualize and consult information related to power and rail lines, path and roadways and more. Search for this data and others separately or start with this provincial dataset from the Government of Alberta .

Defining Species’ Critical Habitats?

Scientists with Fisheries and Oceans Canada undertake important work on aquatic species at risk, which you can learn more about in this dataset.?

Society and Culture

All peoples and nations have given names to lakes, rivers, mountains and other locations on their lands. For Indigenous peoples, these place names often reference specific sites that are good for harvesting or describe land features to help orient travelers.?

Choose a mapped location of the Canadian Geographical Names Database’s Innu Audio Index and hear the place name in Innu-aimun, the language of the Innu Nation.?

Overlay this map with the Indigenous Geographical Names dataset and you have a more complete picture of language and culturally relevant places, in this case for the Labrador region:?

Awareness of Indigenous place names helps us consider the importance of geophysical land features in research. Over the past year, we’ve doubled the number of records available through the Society and Culture page.

Public Safety and Risk Assessment?

Spring runoff, a coastal storm, an ice jam or even a beaver dam failure -- all can cause temporary inundations that can exacerbate to threaten lives and property. Access the Historical Flood Events map to find out location points for past flooding events.?

Open Science and Open Government

The Open Science Data Platform is showcased in Canada’s 5th Action Plan on Open Government for its role in making information related to cumulative effects – including climate science – easier for people in Canada to find and understand.?

Through the Open Science and Data Platform, you can also access NRCan’s Open Science Roadmap to learn about our approach for making the department’s science open and easily accessible.