Using the BC Data Catalogue

Learn more about how to use the BC Data Catalogue to search for and access data.

Searching for metadata and resources

Search the BC Data Catalogue using keywords or acronyms. Use filters to narrow down your search results by the following:

• license type
• data or resource format
• download or export permissions
• group
• organization

If you have questions about a dataset, contact the data expert listed on the dataset.

Accessing datasets

Many datasets are released under the Open Government Licence - British Columbia, which allows a wide range of uses, including commercial use and re-distribution. Some datasets are published with Access Only permissions and need a licence agreement or written permission to reproduce the data.

In addition to document/tabular and geographic data, the catalogue also has information on web applications and web services/APIs.

Common Data Sources

The BC Data Catalogue (BCDC) uploads data into the Catalogue Data Store. This data is then downloadable in the format provided.

The BC Geographic Warehouse (BCGW) is a central government repository of spatial data and some tabular data. The catalogue allows you to export packaged content or configure the content you want to export from the BCGW, such as output projection and the file format. Two applications that are configured to export data are the BC Data Catalogue and iMapBC.

• Learn more about exporting data stored in the BC Geographic Warehouse