Frequently asked questions
Find answers about Ratio.City's data sources, update processes, data hosting, privacy, uploads, access controls, and use of AI.
Dataset source, description, and update information can be accessed directly within Ratio.City.
Data sources & updates
Where do you get your data from?
Approximately 90% of our data comes directly from authoritative sources, typically through open data websites. The remaining 10% is digitized from official documents, such as policy plans and zoning by-laws.
For every dataset, we provide source information in the secondary panel. This includes links to the original source and notes indicating whether the data was digitized from a PDF, website, or other document.
How often is data updated?
Datasets on the platform are updated either automatically or manually.
- Automated datasets are updated on a monthly schedule.
- Manual datasets are reviewed and updated quarterly as part of our data audit process.
Information about whether a dataset is updated automatically or manually is included within the Description of the secondary panel.
Do you manipulate any of your data?
Our goal is to present data from authoritative sources as accurately as possible. Most importantly, we do not alter numerical values or source data attributes provided by authoritative sources.
In some cases, we make adjustments to improve usability and clarity. Common examples include:
Filtering data for relevance
For example, a municipality may publish building permit records dating back to the 1990s. Rather than displaying every historical permit, we may reduce the dataset to more recent years to improve performance and make the information easier to interpret.
Separating combined datasets into multiple layers
For example, a source may provide existing and proposed transit routes in a single dataset. We may separate these into individual layers so users can more easily distinguish between current and future infrastructure.
If some data layers have been updated, do I receive a notification if it impacts my projects?
The platform does not currently offer dataset update notifications.
However, each dataset includes date information to help you understand its accuracy:
- Date Uploaded: The date the dataset was added to or modified on Ratio.City.
- Source Last Checked: The date our team last reviewed the source data, or for automated sources, the date the scheduled update last ran.
- Source Last Modified: The date the source provider last updated the dataset.
These dates can be found in the secondary panel.
Uploading & managing your data
What kind of data can be uploaded? If we have an ArcGIS or AutoCAD license, can we upload this data?
Our platform accepts geospatial data in GeoJSON and Shapefile formats.
If you use GIS software such as ArcGIS or QGIS, you can create and export data in these formats and upload it directly to the platform.
Can we digitize our data that is in PDFs or on CD-ROMs?
Yes. Data stored in PDFs or on CD-ROMs can be digitized or geocoded using GIS software and then uploaded to the platform.
If you need assistance with data digitization, please contact our team at hello@ratio.city to learn about available support services.
Can I share my data?
Yes. Users can securely upload and share data within their organization.
Currently, the platform does not support sharing user-uploaded data with external organizations.
Can I keep some of my data layers private?
Yes. Uploaded data remains private to your account or your organization's account.
We can support users with uploading to ensure the data is accessible to the appropriate people within your organization if there are any privacy concerns.
Can the Ratio.City team help us upload our data?
Yes. If you need assistance uploading data, our team can help. Reach out to us at hello@ratio.city so we can learn how we can better support you.
Privacy & data storage
Where do you store your data?
Data is stored in the Canada Central region of AWS, which is physically located in the Montreal area.
Data on the Ratio.City platform is encrypted in transit and at rest.
Will other organizations be able to access our data, with or without my permission?
No. Your uploaded data is private to you and/or your organization and cannot be accessed by other organizations.
If we cancel our subscription, does our data stay or is it automatically deleted?
User-uploaded data is retained in case a user wishes to resume their subscription. Data can be permanently deleted at the request of the customer.
Will everyone in my organization have access to the same data package (e.g. Ontario region data) we subscribe to?
Yes. Data subscriptions are managed at the organizational level. All users within your organization will have access to the same subscribed datasets.
Data subscriptions are not currently managed on a per-user basis.
Will everyone on my team have access to the same data I/we uploaded?
Access to uploaded data can be configured based on your organization's needs.
We can help set up permissions to control who can view uploaded datasets.
AI & your data
Do you use any AI or Generative AI on the platform?
No. Data layers on the platform are not generated using AI or Generative AI.
We do offer an AI-powered help chatbot that is trained solely on platform documentation. Its purpose is to help users navigate and use the platform.
The chatbot does not access, analyze, or interact with customer-uploaded data or platform datasets.
Currently, the help chatbot is the only feature on the platform that uses AI.
Is user data used to train, develop or improve any artificial intelligence or machine learning models on the platform?
No. User-uploaded data is never used to train, develop, or improve AI models.
Further, Ratio.City does not review or make use of customer-uploaded data except to provide support to that customer or to ensure that uploaded data conforms to platform policies as described in the End User License Agreement.
Talk to our team.
Have a question about data, privacy, security, or how Ratio.City works within your organization?
Contact us