Keep Public Data Public: Open First, Federated Second

For nearly a decade, I have worked on a model of government data sharing that earned international recognition for its innovation. What surprises most people is how simple and affordable it really is. Any level of government could implement it with the right mindset and commitment to the public good.

This work is built on a core belief: data created by public servants using public funds should primarily serve the public interest. Too often, valuable data remains locked away or is handed off to private companies before being shared within or across levels of government. This puts long-term trust, equity, and control at risk.

Open First

Government data is one of the most powerful tools available to improve decision-making, public services, and economic growth. From housing to infrastructure to health, these datasets can be the foundation for better policy and better outcomes.

Countries around the world have demonstrated the impact of open data done right. In the United Kingdom, the Office for National Statistics has released open transportation and census data that helped fuel innovation in logistics, health planning, and economic development. Kenya’s Open Data Initiative has made national-level education, health, and budget data available to citizens and NGOs, improving transparency and service delivery. New York City’s Open Data Portal has helped reduce traffic fatalities and improve public safety by making crash, crime, and infrastructure data accessible to developers and advocates. These examples show that when governments commit to open data, the outcomes are both measurable and transformative.

The open-first approach ensures that once data is reviewed, cleaned, and privacy is protected, it is made publicly available. That means community organizations, small businesses, researchers, and residents can all access the same information as large corporations. It creates fairness, fuels innovation, and strengthens accountability.

According to McKinsey, open data could unlock over $3 trillion in global value each year.

Federated Second

Not all data can be made public. Some datasets include personal information, sensitive infrastructure details, or content that must remain protected for legal or ethical reasons.

But even when data cannot be open, it does not need to be siloed. A federated approach allows governments to share protected data with one another while keeping control of their own systems. Each jurisdiction manages its own information but agrees to shared protocols and standards that allow for responsible, secure exchange.

Here in Canada, York Region put this into practice through the YorkInfo Partnership. By opening up core datasets between municipalities, we were able to coordinate affordable housing efforts, align infrastructure projects, and improve service delivery. It worked because it was built on collaboration, trust, and a shared public mission.

This model allows governments to coordinate on complex, cross-cutting issues such as health care, housing, and social services without compromising security or autonomy. Federation supports collaboration where it matters most, while protecting privacy and public ownership.

Never Privatized

The greatest risk to responsible data sharing comes when private companies are placed between governments as data brokers or platform owners. When public data is sent to private infrastructure before being vetted or shared internally, the government often loses control. That data can be commercialized, limited in access, or used in ways that do not align with the public interest.

This is not open data. It is privatization of public infrastructure through the back door.

Before sharing data with a private company, governments must ask the right questions. What will the company do with the data? Who else will have access to it? What limits are in place? And how will the public be protected?

If those answers are not clearly defined in a binding agreement, the exchange should not proceed. Public data should never become a private asset without transparency, consent, and oversight.

A Better Way Forward

There is a clear model that protects the public interest while enabling innovation and collaboration:

• Share open data first, after it has been properly reviewed by public servants.

• Use a federated approach to securely exchange protected data between trusted public organizations.

• Do not centralize data under private control. Keep core public infrastructure public.

This model is fair, scalable, and proven. It allows companies of all sizes to compete on equal footing, supports better government decision-making, and ensures that the benefits of data are shared widely.

We do not need to give away control to modernize. We simply need to share better, govern better, and keep public data where it belongs—with the public.

Let’s protect what we have built and use it to shape a more open, collaborative, and equitable future.