#GOOD25
Open Data in the Age of AI
Conference Agenda
Thursday May 15, 2025
Americana Conference Resort Spa & Waterpark, Niagara Room
Niagara Falls, Canada
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now deeply woven into the fabric of our daily lives, shaping how we live, work, learn, and interact. While AI offers unparalleled productivity and convenience, it also introduces significant risks. The GOOD25 conference explores the transformative role of Open Data in ensuring AI systems are built on a foundation of accuracy, transparency, and reliability.
Morning sessions
In person registration from 8:00 am onwards.
For virtual participants, registration is not required. Simply login with your Zoom access information.
If you have any issues, please contact us at connect@go-opendata.ca
Registration, Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Conference opening
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Master of Ceremonies (MC)
Keith McDonald
GOOD25 Conference Chair introduction
Kevin Farrugia, Conference Chair, Board Vice-Chair, GO Open Data AssociationWelcome and Land Acknowledgement
Keith McDonald, EmceeIndigenous Welcome
Chief Claire Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First NationWelcome from the City of Niagara Falls
Mayor Jim Diodati, City of Niagara FallsBoard of Directors Welcome to GOOD 25
Jamie Leitch, Board Chair
GO Open Data Association
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Chief Claire Sault
Chief,
Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation -
Mayor Jim Diodati
Mayor, City of Niagara Falls
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Jamie Leitch
Board Chair, GO Open Data Association
GIS Administrator, City of Niagara Falls -
Keith McDonald
Founder / Chief Curator / Presenter,
the literacy AI project
Bridging the AI Divide: Responsible Innovation in the Public Sector
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, public sector organizations face a critical challenge: how to harness AI's potential while safeguarding privacy and maintaining public trust. Some want to embrace AI with enthusiasm, while others proceed with caution, but which approach to take? This keynote will explore the IPC's work on AI adoption in the public sector, focusing on privacy, transparency and accountability in Ontario’s evolving regulatory landscape.
Sandra Ferguson, Director of Policy
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
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Sandra Ferguson
Director of Policy,
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Panel:
Open Data in the Age of AI
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Description
Moderator: Trevor Twining
Panelists
Keith McDonald, Founder / Chief Curator / Presenter,
the literacy AI projectUshnish Sengupta, Assistant Professor,
Algoma UniversityNeura, AI guest
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Ushnish Sengupta, PhD
Assistant Professor in Community Economic and Social Development at Algoma University
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Keith McDonald
Founder / Chief Curator / Presenter,
the literacy AI project -
Neura
AI Guest
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Trevor Twining
Break - 30 minutes
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
From Strategy to Standards: Setting the Stage for Transparency and Open Data.
Government of Canada AI Strategy
11:15 AM - 11:45AM
This presentation outlines how the Government of Canada, through the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, is advancing its Trust and Transparency Strategy to strengthen accountability and public confidence. It will highlight current work in the open data space, including the development of a draft open data maturity model to help departments assess and enhance their open data capabilities. The session will also touch on the importance of developing data reference standards to support greater consistency, interoperability, and data reuse across government.
The focus of the presentation will provide an overview of the Strategy and its implementation plan and how the Strategy enhances service delivery for Canadians while prioritizing trust as a cornerstone for successful implementation. We'll explore how transparency, ethical use, robust security measures, and public engagement are integral to building and maintaining trust in AI technologies.
Presenter:
Annabelle Austin, Policy Analyst
Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada SecretariatMarc Goldfinger, Senior Advisor
Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
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Annabelle Austin
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
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Marc Goldfinger
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Keynote: Rethinking AI’s Role in GIS: From Analyst to Assistant
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
In the rush to adopt generative AI in geospatial workflows, much of the focus has been on replacing human analysis and decision-making. But what if the real opportunity lies not in automation, but in augmentation? This session explores a more grounded and responsible approach to AI in GIS—one that leverages AI’s strengths as a data discovery assistant rather than a decision-maker. We’ll look at how conversational interfaces and natural language processing can unlock access to complex data catalogs, improve metadata usability, and support a more informed, human-led search process. Attendees will leave with a renewed perspective on where generative AI can truly add value—while preserving trust, context, and human expertise.
Chris North,
CEO, Qwhery Cloud
Principal, 43 North GIS Consulting
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Chris North
CEO
Qwhery Cloud
Principal
43 North GIS Consulting
Lunch break
- 75 minutes
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Lightning talks
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Moderator: Richard Pietro, Partnerships Lead, Skinopathy; Founder, ReOpenGov
Presenters
The Canadian Open Data Portal Directory
Lee Doucet, Professor, Niagara College; Board Member, Canadian Open Data SocietyOpen Data Professional Certification
Paul Connor, Executive Director, Canadian Open Data Society
Jamie Leitch, Board Chair, GO Open Data Association; GIS Administrator, City of Niagara Falls
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Lee Doucet
Professor, Niagara College; Board Member, Canadian Open Data Society
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Paul Connor
Canadian Open Data Society
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Jamie Leitch
Board Chair, GO Open Data Association
GIS Administrator, City of Niagara Falls -
Krystin Parkinson
Supervisor, Data Services (Knowledge Management), City of Hamilton
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Richard Pietro
Partnerships Lead, Skinopathy
Founder, ReOpenGov
Preparing for a Transformational Journey: Responsible AI Readiness
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Governments and other organizations, locally and around the world, racing toward AI to improve service delivery and make work more efficient. How can municipalities begin a fast-moving technological journey that will challenge everything we know – from technical foundations to present-day policies, right down to the fundamental assumptions about how we work. In this session we’ll look at the City of Barrie’s work over the past 18 months to prepare for and embark on an AI journey - including the development of an AI Framework, an AI Risk Management Model, and an “Early Adopters” program. We’ll also look at how the City’s use of proof-of-concept projects has informed the journey in a safe and responsible manner.
Presenter:
Rob Emerson, Manager of Digital Transformation & User Experience, City of Barrie
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Rob Emerson
Manager of Digital Transformation & User Experience, City of Barrie
LIVE: Using AI to Generate Dashboards, Apps (and more!) in < 3 mins
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
In this collaborative live demo, we’ll explore the transformative rise of AI tools that allow anyone - regardless of coding background - to generate working dashboards and applications from simple prompts. Whether you're a data analyst, manager, or seasoned developer, you'll see how AI drastically shortens the path from idea to implementation. Witness real-time generation of at least one dashboard, website, plus a 3D app, and leave with a new understanding of how AI can empower your work
Presenter:
Eugene Chen, Chair, Canadian Open Data Society
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Eugene Chen
ideaowl.com
Presentation:
Artificial Intelligence – The Great Chasm
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
This talk explores the widening gulf between two dominant narratives in AI today: one of revolutionary potential, voiced by insiders with deep situational awareness of the technology, and another of sobering underperformance in the enterprise, echoed in economic and market realities. By examining both perspectives, we’ll consider whether this is a temporary dislocation—or the shape of things to come.
Presenter:
Sheldon Fernandez, AI Strategist, Thinker & Philosopher
AI Mentor & Board Advisor, Neuberg Gore
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Sheldon Fernandez
AI Strategist, Thinker & Philosopher
AI Mentor & Board Advisor, Neuberg Gore
Break
3:30 PM - 3:50 PM
GeoAI for Invasive Phragmites Mapping: Advancing Invasive Species Management in the Niagara Peninsula Watershed
3:50 PM - 4:20 PM
Join us for a presentation on using Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) to map invasive Phragmites in the Niagara Peninsula watershed. This innovative approach leverages high-resolution remote-sensing data and deep learning techniques to enhance detection accuracy and support coordinated management efforts. Discover how GeoAI is assisting to advance invasive species management and contributing to regional biodiversity conservation.
Presenters:
Dr. Marilyne Carrey, Associate Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University
Wendy Baldin, Manager of Digital Transformation and IT,
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
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Wendy Baldin
Manager of Digital Transformation and IT,
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority -
Dr. Marilyne Carrey
Associate Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University
Closing Panel:
AI Futures
4:20 PM - 4:50 PM
Description
Moderator: Connie McCutcheon
Panelists
Karen Louise Smith, Associate Professor, Communication, Popular Culture and Film, Brock University
Amy Bihari, Innovation Lab Leader, ONResources
Ryan Hilimoniuk, MBA, Senior Data Research Programs & Projects Manager; IBM-Arrow Channel Manager at Rel8ed Analytics
Steven De Costa, Chairman and Executive Director, Link Digital
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Karen Louise Smith
Associate Professor, Communication, Popular Culture and Film, Brock University
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Amy Bihari
Innovation Lab Leader, ONResources
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Ryan Hilimoniuk
Senior Data Research Programs & Projects Manager; IBM-Arrow Channel Manager at Rel8ed Analytics
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Steven De Costa
Chairman and Executive Director,
Link Digital
Closing remarks
4:50 PM - 5:00 PM
Connie McCutcheon, Director of Communications, GO Open Data Association
President, MISA Canada
