Maps of Winnipeg show spread of income, ethnicity and languages

New maps of Winnipeg are allowing people to see the city is a new lightcomparing income distribution, ethnicity and languages and how they're spread across the city.

Ed Manley, a lecturer at University College London, was toying around with Winnipeg'scensus information last fall and the result is series of technicolor mosaics that tell the story of our city.

• Click here to view the income distribution map fullscreen on your mobile device

Each coloured dot on the maprepresents an individual person and the data available about them through Winnipeg's open data.

ManleyusedGIS software or geographic information systemsto match the dotsto the census data.

"You actually really get a good sense ofthe concentrationsacross the city,"ManleytoldCBC'sInformation Radio."You do get a sense of difference as you walk around Winnipeg for sure but it was interesting to see that come out on the screen."

"You do get a sense of communities forming in certain areas of Winnipeg," he added.

• Click here to viewthe language map fullscreen on your mobile device

Manley said there is lots of other data sets he could have used to make the maps but thatthese factors wereinteresting variables to look at, especially to look at them together andcompare them and see where the correlations are.

The British lecturer was interested in Winnipeg because it is where hisgirlfriend calls home. When he was trying to come up with Christmas-present ideas, he decided to use his talents to give them something unique.

"Because I'm interested in map making and interested in creating new maps from new data sets,"Manleysaid,"I though 'hey, why not use my skills to create some Christmas gifts?'"

• Click here to view the ethnicity map full screen on your mobile device

Hear the full interview with Ed Manleyon CBC Radio One's Information Radio, Tuesday at 6:45 a.m.