News Release

HRM kicks-off first open data app contest,
seeks residents’ ideas for apps

Thursday, August 8, 2013 (Halifax, NS) – HRM today kicked-off its first-ever open data app contest, Apps4Halifax, with the launch of the Ideas Submission period. It’s the first phase of the five-month contest that will ultimately result in the awarding of cash prizes to app developers who use municipal data to create the best apps benefitting HRM residents.

“HRM residents can benefit greatly from apps developed using publicly-released municipal data,” said Mayor Mike Savage. “I know that residents have fantastic ideas for the kind of apps they’d like to see created, even if they don’t have the skills to build the app themselves. The Ideas Submission period is meant to engage people beyond the technology community and to give them the opportunity to share their big ideas with the talented local developers who can leverage our data and technology for public good.”

During the Ideas Submission period, citizens will have the chance to win prizes, including iPad minis and gift cards by submitting their big ideas within four categories: Live It Up, Your City, Go Green and Keep ‘er Movin’. Full details and rules on how to participate in the Ideas Submission period are available online at apps4halifax.ca.

In the next phase of the contest set to run for three months beginning September 9, HRM will encourage developers to create apps using citizen ideas or their own, incorporating at least one dataset from HRM’s Open Data Pilot Project. The Open Data Pilot, launched earlier this year at data.halifax.ca, enables public viewing and use of a selection of HRM datasets free of charge for a 12-month period. The goal of this project is to make municipal government more transparent and accessible to all citizens.

The Apps4Halifax contest runs until January 2014 and was created to encourage public engagement and inspire the development of innovative, interesting, and user-friendly applications for Nova Scotia citizens using HRM open data. The contest is open to all residents of Nova Scotia. Key contest dates are:

-Ideas Submission period opens 10 a.m., August 8, and closes at 4 p.m., September 6.
-App Submission period opens 10 a.m., September 9 and closes at 4 p.m., November 29.
-Open Data Hackathon takes place September 13-15.
-Public Voting period for “People’s Choice Award” in each category opens 10 a.m., December 2, 2013 and closes at 4p.m., January 6, 2014.
-Judging period opens 10 a.m., January 9, 2014 and closes at 4 p.m., January 13, 2014.
-Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony tentatively scheduled for January 2014.

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Media contacts:

Mayor Mike Savage
490-4010

Tiffany Chase
HRM Communications
490-5057