The COVID-19 pandemic was the most significant event in a generation.

We need your help answering the question: what happened?


Since March 2020, the COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group has worked to bring pandemic data to Canadians. The time has come to think bigger: What Happened? is a project to establish a centralized source of COVID-19 data in Canada. Join us in developing a data standard, harmonizing disparate data sources into a single definitive dataset, preserving vital documents and information and telling the pandemic stories data alone cannot capture.

A definitive timeline

The time has come to publish a definitive dataset covering COVID-19 cases, deaths, vaccination and other relevant metrics in Canada, unifying disparate federal, provincial and regional datasets under a single data standard.

A comprehensive archive

People will be studying the COVID-19 pandemic for decades to come. We must preserve pandemic-related datasets, documents and websites so that future generations may learn from our endeavours.

Your stories

Behind every row of data is a human experience. Help us preserve the pandemic's stories of suffering and resilience and build a platorm to share them.

There are many ways to help

No coding experience is required for most projects,
just a desire to understand how COVID-19 affected our lives.

  • A COVID-19 dataset

    Help us stitch together the best account of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Collate data sources, identify what's missing and help fill in the gaps.

  • A complete archive

    Aid us in tracking down relevant datasets and documents related to the pandemic and preserving them in a single location.

  • A COVID-19 data standard

    Contribute to a standard for COVID-19 data, allowing us to harmonize disparate data sources.

  • A data index

    Every archive needs an index. Add metadata, tag data and help people make connections between the datasets.

  • A COVID-19 data explorer

    Help build a front-end website for people to discover and work with COVID-19 data without technical experience.

  • Storytelling

    Immortalize the human toll of the pandemic, beyond what numbers alone tell us. Help build a platform for Canadian pandemic storytelling.

Pick a project to learn more about

GitHub will be used to coordinate our work. Just create an account and jump into the discussion on the "issues" board of the project that interests you. No coding knowledge is required!

You can also email us if you'd like to get involved or learn more: ccodwg@gmail.com