Edmonton… Service Alberta Minister Manmeet S. Bhullar travels to Washington, D.C., to attend the 2012 International Open Government Data Conference and meet with open data experts, July 10 to 13.

“Alberta is embarking on an aggressive plan to become a leader in openness and transparency, and we are looking at the best practices from around the world to help us achieve this goal,” said Bhullar. “This will mean that Albertans will be able to access government more than ever before in an interactive and user-friendly manner.”

The conference is sponsored by the World Bank and the U.S. Government, and covers the policy and technical aspects of providing public access to electronic data in open, accessible and machine-readable formats. The three-day event, running July 10 to 12, includes panels, speakers, and collaboration to share experiences and stimulate new ideas.

Albertans can follow the conference on Twitter with @usdatagov or using the hashtag#IOGDC.

Following the conference, Bhullar will meet with public officials and open data experts from other jurisdictions on July 13. He will discuss potential open data initiatives and best practices the Alberta government can consider and incorporate in its plan to strengthen openness and transparency in the province.

The estimated cost of the trip, including travel and accommodation for Bhullar and his Chief of Staff, is $4,500.