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The beauty and benefits of transparency

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Welcome to the Transparency Showcase, a virtual gallery of engaging and innovative exhibits spotlighting government transparency and the benefits of open data.

The IPC’s Transparency Challenge is an opportunity for Ontario’s public institutions to share creative and unique projects that advance open data and government transparency. The exhibits are each represented by a unique piece of artwork. This collection has been specially curated to shine a light on best-in-class efforts in transparency and access to government information for the benefit of Ontarians. 

The IPC launched the Transparency Challenge as a way to spotlight government openness and provide a unique and creative forum for institutions to share their innovative projects. Our goal is to increase understanding and appreciation for open data and government transparency by emphasizing the real positive impacts on the daily lives of Ontarians. 

The breadth and quality of exhibits from across Ontario’s public institutions, including, provincial ministries, municipalities, schools, universities, and police services, provide inspiring models for other institutions to follow. 

Patricia Kosseim
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Transparency and access to government-held information is about empowerment. It equips people with the information they need to participate meaningfully in the democratic process, engage in constructive discourse, and hold their governments accountable. It’s the bedrock that democracy is built on, inspiring public trust and providing trustworthy, evidence-based information to shape policies, programs, and services to improve the lives of Ontarians.”

Patricia Kosseim
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

No AI was used in the creation of these original artworks.

Exhibition Projects

A trailing honeycomb of small, highly textured abstract paintings on hexagonal canvases. The paintings are in soft, smooth tones and are reminiscent of sliced agate, with swirls of gems and smooth polished stone.

Town of Innisfil

City of Thunder Bay

This arched stained glass window inspired by an Aesop Fable shows the god Mercury standing in front of a poor woodsman, offering an axe of gold.

Ministry of Energy and Electrification

A classical painting of a the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II composed of vegetables and fruits. Weaving through the peice are new paintings, seamlessly integrating, in different art styles throughout the ages. It is hard to tell where one begins and another ends. Machine learning code faintly peeks it's way around and through the artwork.

Waterloo Catholic District School Board

An outline line drawing of city streets in the west-end of downtown Toronto. Parks are demarcated in water-stained blocks. Dots mark the stops of the tour for the City of Toronto project.

City of Toronto: Toronto Public Walking Tours

A comic-book styled illustration of a woman who appears to be merging with technology, becoming a cyborg. Her head is surrounded by a metal helmet, open to show her face. Her hoodie appears to also be metal. She has on headphones.

McMaster University

An illustration of a modern building is the focal point of this Bauhaus inspired poster, with geometric shapes in muted tones acting as a backdrop. The poster reads, Hamilton ON. est 1887. McMaster University.

Ministry of Colleges and Universities

A pleasingly off-center but harmonious clusterings of minimalist shapes in the constructivist art style. Like a child's shapes game, the design is made of circles, squares, rectangles and triangles at odd angles, meeting together in harmony.

Ontario Energy Board

A modern home that appears to emerge from the rocks it is built on peeks out from amongst the fall foliage. There is a waterfall flowing from the front of the home, tumbling down the staggered rock outcroppings below it and into the forest.

Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks

Drips and splotches of paint etch across the canvas to represent the data points from the project, with the Ottawa area rivers carving their way through the canvas to establish a sense of place.

Ottawa Police Service

A grassy courtyard with large bushes nestles up against a low-rise complex of English country style town homes and apartments
Across a manicured lawn with trees is nestled a low-rise apartment complex reminiscent of English country town homes. Children play in the far corner of the lawn.
A row of caravan campers are parked in a dirt lot. A clothes line is strung on a line suspended between a bare tree and log pole.
A man exits from a clapboard shanty in a lot, staring towards the photographer and a camper caravan with a sun shade extended in front of it. In the background, tall buildings tower above the lot.

City of Toronto: If These Walls Could Talk

Township of King

City of St. Thomas

An abstract illustration reminiscent of the game Tetris. There are layers of blocks that fit together, layered.

Council of Ontario Universities

Exhibitors

City of St. Thomas

City of Thunder Bay

City of Toronto

Council of Ontario Universities

McMaster University

Ministry of Colleges and Universities

Ministry of Energy and Electrification

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

Ontario Energy Board

Ottawa Police Service

Town of Innisfil

Township of King

Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Other Notable Submissions

Past Exhibitions

2023

Spotlight on transparency

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