CivicInfo BC: Information Services for Local Governments www

CivicInfo BC:
Information Services for
Local Governments
www.civicinfo.bc.ca
This will be an exciting and
interesting session.
Ground Rules
• Ask questions at any time.
• I am happy to go off on tangents, and discuss
anything at all with you … as long as it’s vaguely
related to our line of work.
• If you’re interested in talking more, please call or
email me. (Contact details on last slide.)
About CivicInfo BC
• We are a not-for-profit municipal agency,
incorporated in 2000. www.civicinfo.bc.ca
• We’re membership based – 99% of BC local
governments are members.
• We offer a wide range of services for people who
are in the local government sector. Unique in
Canada. (One “sister association” in the USA.)
Document Search
Document Search
• We maintain a Google Custom Search tool for
searching all local government websites and
those for related agencies in the province.
• We will occasionally assemble mini-libraries of
documents specific to topical issues. We also
have a “Practices & Innovations” database.
• Great starting point for research.
Directories
Find your local government colleagues,
or suppliers that serve the sector.
Election Reporting
Mr. Peanut
Candidate for Mayor of Vancouver, 1974
Mr. Peanut
Campaigning with “The Peanettes”
Mr. Floatie
Lobbying for
sewage treatment.
Aspiring Candidate
for Mayor of
Victoria, 2005
Election Reporting
• Database of 3,000 local government candidates
assembled as soon as nominations close.
• Live results, direct from local governments, on
election night.
• Results are fed live to all media, including CBC,
CTV Bellmedia, major newspapers, TV, and radio.
Press Releases
Active transportation infrastructure provides
bitchin new multi-use pathways
Press Releases
• We cross-post all local government press
releases that may be of interest to a professional
audience.
• Average of 2 or 3 per day.
• Excellent and easy way to see what your
colleagues are doing in other communities.
@BCHeadlines on Twitter
One of our Twitter Followers
(Really.)
@BCHeadlines on Twitter
• Local government news headlines, aggregated
daily. About 75 headlines a day, linked.
• Includes the good, the bad, and the ugly.
• Horrible abuse of “social media”, but very
popular with elected officials, senior staff, and
community watchdogs. Great feedback.
Surveys & Statistics
Surveys & Statistics
• We conduct annual surveys of British Columbia
local governments. (Fees & charges; wages, etc.)
• Most popular: salary and benefits surveys for
staff; remuneration rates for elected officials.
• Opportunity exists to work with other provinces;
sharing survey methodology and results.
Legislative Calendar
Legislative Calendar
• Key dates and
deadlines from over
30 statutes and
regulations.
• Invaluable tool for
Finance Officers;
especially new ones.
Career Postings
Think your job stinks? Think again.
Career Postings
• CivicInfo BC operates Canada’s largest municipal
job boards.
• BC job board at www.civicinfo.bc.ca
• National job board at www.civicjobs.ca
• About 800,000 page views per month between
the two. Nearly 10 million per year.
Career Postings
• On the national job board (Civicjobs.ca) we are
working with AUMA (Alberta); Canadian
Association of Municipal Administrators, and
others.
• Competes with job boards offered by other levels
of government; co-operative (not competitive)
model, working with other associations.
Bids & Tenders
Bids & Tenders
• Looking for a new
contractor? Post the
RFP with us.
• Highly engaged
audience. Heavily
used section of our
website.
Professional Development
Listings
Find exciting conferences,
workshops, courses, and seminars.
Event Registrations
Event Registrations
• As a small revenue generator, CivicInfo BC does
registrations for local government professional
events of all sizes. About 150 events per year.
• We work with associations in BC, Ontario, Nova
Scotia. Would love to work with associations in
other provinces, too.
Open Data
What is Open Data?
• Open data is a philosophy and practice under
which machine-readable data is available to
everyone, without restrictions from copyright or
other mechanisms of control.
• Open data is considered to be a key pillar of any
open government strategy. Taking root in the
UK, US, and in Canada.
Inter-Municipal Open Data Catalogue
• CivicInfo has a beta-version live now at
data.civicinfo.ca.
• Combine open datasets from multiple
jurisdictions; let’s see what happens!
• Potential to expand across western provinces
and beyond.
Video & Web Meetings
Video & Web Meetings
• Microsoft Lync System for CivicInfo members.
• HD multi-party video conferencing; full web
meetings; application sharing, instant messaging.
• Share desktop and applications for troubleshooting purposes.
Conclusion
Our services are diverse
because we have a diverse
audience.
Water Treatment Plant Operators
City Managers & Finance Officers
Economic Development Officers
Animal Control
I.T. Department
Communication Directors
Parks & Rec Staff
Bylaw Enforcement
Elected Officials
THANK YOU
Todd Pugh, CivicInfo BC
tpugh@civicinfo.bc.ca
Ph: 250-383-4898