Who benefits most when the geeks of the world build something cool? It’s easy to think that the key beneficiaries would be other geeks or a limited set of “in the know” developers. However, the reality is that what happens deep in the code has a way of trickling up and out to society as a whole.
In Canada, this impact is particularly powerful. As a country, there’s a rich culture of collaboration and sharing. Couple that culture with open source tools and platforms, and the world has a recipe for short-term and long-term life improvement.
Lighting the fires of open source entrepreneurship
As a country, Canada has made the governmental decision to endorse open resources as a matter of policy. Through the Open Source Exchange, citizens can see how federal, provincial, municipal, and aboriginal administrations are using open standards, open source software, open data, open information, and open dialogue to create a transparent and accountable “open” government.
Why does this matter? According to a 2023 study published in Research Policy that explored the relationship between open source software (OSS) participation and entrepreneurship, what Canada is doing is a driving force in developing a robust entrepreneurial culture. The study found that countries with high OSS participation rates had high levels of entrepreneurship, but more importantly, generated higher-quality types of entrepreneurship.
This certainly corresponds with Canada’s tech reputation and the quality of the software companies and entrepreneurs within its borders. OSS participation is complementary to a country’s other resources, like a bright and friendly population. Plus, as the study notes, the more enthusiastically a country endorses OSS, the more it expands into mission- and globally-oriented projects, something else being seen in Canada right now.
CANADA’S OSS COMMITMENT IS ALSO DRIVING PROGRESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
Using OSS to Drive Healthcare Advancements
One example of how this is expanding outward can be found in the healthcare sector. In Canada, open-source initiatives are revolutionizing patient care and medical research. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has been at the forefront of promoting collaborative platforms that bring together researchers, healthcare providers, and patients.
Why does this matter? An open resources approach leads to faster development of medical technologies and more patient-centric care models. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian researchers were rapidly sharing data and collaborating on open-source projects to develop vaccines and treatments. This collaborative effort accelerated the response to the crisis and set a new standard for how medical research can be conducted in the future.
Given the high costs of research and the affordability crisis facing healthcare providers and consumers in Canada, this kind of breakthrough is vitally important. Millions of Canadians from all walks of life could potentially save money on care and receive better and faster cures for their ailments as a result of this “geek work” being done.
Using OSS Participation to Improve Sustainability
Canada’s OSS commitment is also driving progress in environmental sustainability. Crowdsourcing initiatives like iNaturalist Canada are engaging citizens in biodiversity conservation efforts.
Launched in 2015, the iNaturalist app allows regular Canadians to become biodiversity documenters. The original goal of the program – to track 50,000 species by 2020 – has dramatically expanded. Citizen journalists and snappers have now uploaded more than 13 million images of wildlife, fauna, and landscape. In fact, more than 600 publications use the global iNaturalist data for research sourcing and as a means of expanding beyond what small teams of scientists would ever be able to do.
By allowing anyone with a smartphone to contribute to scientific data collection, projects like this advance research and foster a deeper connection between Canadians and their natural environment. It also helps build a sense of community around caring for the environment and protecting rare wildlife and fauna, far beyond what lectures or other non-participatory measures would provide.
Using OSS to Empower Communities Through Civic Tech
The rise of so-called “civic tech” in Canada is another prime example of how collaborative innovation is benefiting communities directly. Cities like Toronto and Vancouver are using crowdsourcing platforms to gather public input on urban development projects.
This approach leads to more inclusive urban planning and fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among residents. These civic tech initiatives address a wide range of urban challenges, from improving public transportation to enhancing green spaces. They also allow more traditionally excluded voices to chime in and contribute in ways that wouldn’t be possible without the level playing field of crowdsourcing. By leveraging the collective intelligence of their citizens, Canadian cities are creating more livable, sustainable, and responsive urban environments.
Using OSS Tools for Education and Skill Development
Canada’s collaborative innovation culture is also transforming education. Open educational resources (OER) are making high-quality learning materials freely available to students across the country. This reduces the financial burden on students and allows for more customized and up-to-date curricula.
Even better? The emphasis on open-source principles in Canadian universities creates a self-reinforcing element for the next generation of innovators. Canadians build openly and share openly – that’s the standard and norm. So, students are learning technical skills and the value of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community-driven development, beliefs they can take with them to their first (or next) start up venture.
Closing Thoughts
Canada’s approach to collaborative innovation serves as a model for how open-source communities, collaborative platforms, and crowdsourcing can drive societal progress. By fostering a culture of openness and collaboration, Canada as a country gets to enhance its innovation ecosystem. This in turn contributes to global knowledge and development.
As the country continues with this policy, the challenge will be to continue expanding these collaborative approaches to address even more complex societal challenges. However, with its strong foundation in open innovation, Canada is well-positioned to lead the way in creating a more connected, sustainable, and innovative future for all.