[Talk-ca] Postal Codes

Matthew Dance matt at matthewdance.ca
Tue Dec 30 14:45:47 UTC 2014


Hi All,
Please have a look at David Eaves post on how Canada Post is prosecuting a
person for crowdsourcing postal code data:

http://eaves.ca/2013/04/25/canada-post-and-the-war-on-open-data-innovation-common-sense-continued-sadly/

Best,
Matt

On Tue, Dec 30, 2014 at 7:37 AM, Adam Martin <s.adam.martin at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hey all,
>
> I was reading over the previous discussions held here regarding the issue
> of obtaining postal codes for use with civic addresses in Canada. I
> understand that, unless specific permission is obtained, there is no way to
> utilize the information stored in the Canada Post database, even if that
> information is manually acquired from the database during a lookup. The use
> is restricted to a very limited personal or business application - ie, I
> want to send a package and I use the database to get the postal code of the
> address.
>
> It initially appears odd that Canada Post would be very restrictive with
> the code data. I understand that they maintain consumer names with the
> address data, but the OSM project would not be seeking that connective
> data, just the bare address to attach to a civic or business address.
> Looking about their site, I eventually encountered this little gem --->
> https://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/business/productsservices/mailing/pcdp.jsf
>
> It would appear that Canada Post sells a data product that is,
> effectively, the postal code data attached to a map. It is provided to
> businesses for the purposes of datamining, allowing them to hone their
> mailings or identify exploitable market areas. The cynic in me figures that
> this is the real reason that they won't give OSM the permission to use the
> data. Not for protection of the consumer or for privacy, but to make money.
> Fair enough - it is technically a business.
>
> Anyway, it would appear that obtaining the information from Canada Post
> is, basically, a dead end. Might I suggest an alternative? Why not a
> volunteer effort? I can't look up a code and reproduce it on the map, but I
> can surely put my own postal code and those of my previous addresses into
> the map. That knowledge has nothing to do with looking it up on their
> website. I also know the code for my small hometown in Newfoundland as I
> lived there for years and the entire town uses the same code. Perhaps there
> is a way to gather the information voluntarily from Canadian citizens and
> businesses. Basically go around them? For example, a survey on the Reddit
> forum for Canada could be asked or something like that. The more we can get
> without using the post office, the better. Business websites are easily
> some of the best sources - they offer their mail address without any
> restriction so that is fair use too.
>
> Just a thought!
>
> Adam
>
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>


-- 
| Matthew Dance, M.A. |Urban Geography & Planning |
| 780.554.9222 | @mattdance | matthewdance.ca |
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