What data is expected?
A database of postcodes/zipcodes and the corresponding geospatial locations in terms of a latitude and a longitude (or similar co-ordinates in an openly published national co-ordinate system). A database which gives a location in terms of the name of a town or a street without lat/long co-ordinates is not considered acceptable unless the name of the town or street can be further converted to a latitude and longitude by means of other open data (eg an open gazetteer with latitude and longitude attributes).
What data is available
- Does the data exist? Yes
- Is data in digital form? Yes
- Publicly available? Yes published by Canada Post)
- Is the data available for free? No
- Is the data available online? Yes (Here)
- Is the data machine readable? Yes (Fixed-width text file)
- Available in bulk? Yes
- Openly licensed? No (No URL given)
- Is the data provided on a timely and up to date basis? Yes
Details
Canada Post is a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada. Commercial use of Canada Post's Postal Code Address Data (PCAD) product has been quoted at $50,600 per year. Canada Post claims copyright in its database of postal codes. It has recently defended its claim by filing a lawsuit against Geolytica: https://cippic.ca/en/copyright/geolytica-statement-of-defence.
Contributors
Reviewers
- James McKinney
Submitters
- Frank Hangler
- Michael Mulley