Burnaby City Open Data APIs and Licence Terms

Technology and Data British Columbia 3 Minutes Read · published May 24, 2026 Flag of British Columbia

Burnaby, British Columbia publishes an Open Data portal for public datasets and APIs that support civic applications, research and transparency. This guide explains how to access datasets, the licence terms that govern reuse, reporting and compliance pathways, and practical steps for developers and municipal users. Review the portal and official licence pages before bulk use or redistribution to ensure attribution and permitted uses.[1][2]

What the Open Data Portal provides

The portal includes downloadable datasets, RESTful APIs, metadata and machine-readable formats for maps, permits, infrastructure and other municipal records. The portal page lists available endpoints and dataset schemas for developers.

APIs may require rate limits or API keys as described on the portal.

Access, Licence Terms and Permitted Uses

The City publishes licence terms that set conditions for reuse, attribution and liability; users must accept those terms when using APIs or downloading bulk data.[2] Specific permitted uses, attribution text and redistribution clauses are stated on the licence page; where the licence does not specify a fee or penalty, this guide notes that the information is not specified on the cited page.

Practical obligations for users

  • Review the dataset's metadata and licence before using the data.
  • Include required attribution text or credit lines when publishing derived works.
  • Comply with any stated time-limited embargoes or update schedules in dataset metadata.
Always keep a copy of the dataset metadata and licence text used for your project.

Penalties & Enforcement

The city’s published pages focus on licence terms and access policy rather than municipal bylaw fines for data misuse. Specific monetary fines for licence breaches are not specified on the cited pages.[2]

  • Monetary fines: not specified on the cited page.
  • Escalation: the portal/licence describes termination of access or notice requirements; specific escalation amounts or per-day fines are not specified on the cited page.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: access suspension, removal of datasets or termination of API keys are possible enforcement actions under the licence terms.
  • Enforcer and complaints: complaints or reports about misuse should be submitted to the City’s contact/records office via the official contact page.[3]
  • Appeals and review: the licence or access policy may describe review or remediation steps; explicit statutory appeal timelines are not specified on the cited page.
If enforcement action is taken, preserve communications and the dataset version you used as evidence.

Applications & Forms

There is no central downloadable “licence application” form for API access published on the portal; access is typically governed by the portal account and licence acceptance process or by contacting City staff for special arrangements. If a specific permission or commercial licence is required, the portal directs users to contact City staff for agreements or data extracts.[2]

For commercial or large-scale data requests, contact the City early to discuss terms.

How to comply and report issues

  • Check licence text for attribution, redistribution and liability clauses.
  • Document your data use, including dataset version and retrieval date.
  • Report suspected misuse or request clarifications via the City contact page.[3]

FAQ

What licence covers Burnaby open data?
The City publishes licence terms on its Open Data pages; users must review the specific licence linked to each dataset. Specific licence names and clauses are on the portal/licence page.[2]
Do I need an API key to use the datasets?
Some APIs may require registration or use rate limits; check the dataset or API endpoint details on the portal for requirements.[1]
How do I report errors or request new data?
Use the portal's dataset feedback mechanism or contact City staff through the official contact page to request new datasets or report issues.[3]

How-To

  1. Find the dataset on the Open Data portal and read the metadata and licence.
  2. Determine whether the dataset requires attribution or has reuse restrictions.
  3. Use the API endpoint or download the CSV/GeoJSON; store the retrieval date and dataset version.
  4. Apply required attribution in your application or publication as specified in the licence.
  5. Report data quality issues or request expanded access by contacting City staff.

Key Takeaways

  • Always read the dataset metadata and licence before reuse.
  • Document dataset version and retrieval date to support compliance.
  • Contact the City for permissions, large requests or to report misuse.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] City of Burnaby Open Data Portal
  2. [2] City of Burnaby Open Data and licence information
  3. [3] City of Burnaby Contact Us

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