Creating a Python library for reading data from Statistics Canada

Have you ever wondered what it is like maintaining an open source project?

In this meetup, hosted in collaboration between Data for Good YYC and PyData Calgary, Ian Preston gives a presentation about how he built the stats_can library in response to a need he had in his work as an economist. He also goes over the package functionality.

He started the project with very little knowledge of Python packaging or maintaining an open source project, and he describes how it evolved from its rough beginnings to where it is today. He also shares the development process, including the tools and techniques he used to get there.

This meetup also features a workshop on how you can get started on using the library as well as challenges you can tackle.

You can check out a binder demonstration of the library and the workshop materials here:


Below is also a link to the repository for the library including links to the documentation, both for the library itself and the Statistics Canada API that it wraps:

Speaker Profile:

Ian Preston

I'm a lifelong nerd. One of the first programs I wrote was a dice roller for dungeons and dragons in GW-BASIC (just writing that makes me feel old). After getting a masters in economics from SFU I joined WCB Alberta as an economist. My current role is team lead of financial planning and data science, where I get to combine my interests in data, programming, and economics to help the organization better serve injured workers, employers, and the people of Alberta.

Paula Jennings

Paula from the Data for Good team will give a run-down of the workshop challenges.

[thiccchungus]

This is awesome, and I plan on using your library for my first data engineering project. Great stuff!

[kbinoyn]

Is there a way to retrieve the value of an attribute "Geography" that is displayed with table information? I am accessing these APIs using PySpark.