Andrew Burton: On a Mission to Make Data Work for Everyone

The internet was Andrew Burton’s playground long before he became Winnipeg’s Open Data Administrator. As a computer engineer with a love for civic engagement, he spent years in the private sector crafting online tools and forums to make democracy more accessible. But when the opportunity came to build something for his own city—a transparent and citizen-centered data portal—Andrew took a leap of faith.

“I’ve narrowed it down to basically it’s a government philosophy—the data gathered on behalf of the people belongs to the people,” Andrew explained. This simple belief became the driving force behind launching data.winnipeg.ca, a portal that now houses more than 100 datasets ranging from tree inventories to property assessments to Narcan administration records.

But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. When Andrew joined the City of Winnipeg, the open data portal existed in name only. “They were like, ‘Okay, you’re the open data administrator… go to town!’” he recalled with a laugh. With no blueprint, he turned to the Open Cities Index, a crowdsourced self-assessment tool, to audit the city’s data landscape and chart a path forward.

That decision paid off. By using the Index as a roadmap, Andrew and his small team—at times just himself and a part-time technical assistant—transformed Winnipeg’s portal from a static page to a robust, API-powered system that not only shares data but powers city applications and dashboards. “Our transit data feed? That saved the city from having to build and maintain an app—because the private sector did it for us,” he said.

Still, convincing internal departments to share their data wasn’t always easy.

“There’s always that hesitation: ‘Why would I release this?’” he said. Many feared the data wasn’t perfect or that it could be misused. Andrew’s approach was empathy and persistence. “You never accept no as an answer—but you don’t be annoying about it,” he joked. Instead, he offered phased releases, starting with aggregate data before moving to more granular sets. “Relationships matter more than policies,” he added.

Andrew also leaned on his peers. “If you're in this space, find a network. I have a monthly call that’s been invaluable,” he said, highlighting the importance of knowledge sharing among open data practitioners across Canada. And he never forgot the “why” behind his work: civic pride. “Winnipeg’s always been a bit of an underdog city,” he said. “But if you have the chance to make it better—even in a small way—you take it.”

Today, Winnipeg is a leader in open data. Its portal doesn’t just check boxes—it saves time, informs policy, and strengthens the bond between citizens and their city. And that, Andrew says, is the real win. “Open data is a two-way street. It gives the public a window into how decisions are made—and gives us, as public servants, a reason to do better.”

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