Nova Scotia Data Explorer

Official4 toolsLive

by SevaSk

Query and explore Nova Scotia open datasets via the Socrata SODA API.

io.github.SevaSk/nova-scotia-data-explorer (MCP Server)

The MCP server io.github.SevaSk/nova-scotia-data-explorer provides tools to query and explore Nova Scotia open datasets using the Socrata SODA API. It exposes multiple capabilities (toolCount: 4) intended for accessing and working with dataset information programmatically.

🛠️ Key Features

Query and explore Nova Scotia open datasets
Uses the Socrata SODA API
Provides 4 tools via the MCP interface

🚀 Use Cases

Retrieve data from Nova Scotia open datasets through SODA queries
Explore dataset contents for development or analysis workflows

⚡ Developer Benefits

Programmatic access to Nova Scotia open datasets
SODA API-based querying for structured data retrieval

⚠️ Limitations

Description and metadata provided only specify Socrata SODA API querying/exploration; no additional capabilities or configuration details are included.

Captured live from the server via tools/list.

list_categories

Returns all dataset categories and popular tags available on the Nova Scotia Open Data portal. Use this first to discover valid category names before calling search_datasets with a category filter.

Parameters

No parameters.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {}
}

search_datasets

Search the Nova Scotia Open Data catalog (data.novascotia.ca) for datasets by keyword, category, or tag. Returns dataset names, IDs, descriptions, column names, and direct portal links. Use list_categories first to see valid category and tag names. Use the returned dataset ID with query_dataset or get_dataset_metadata for further exploration.

Parameters5

query	string	optional	Free-text search query (e.g. 'population', 'fisheries', 'road network')
category	string	optional	Filter by exact category name from list_categories (e.g. 'Health and Wellness', 'Lands, Forests and Wildlife', 'Crime and Justice', 'Population and Demographics')
tag	string	optional	Filter by an exact tag name from list_categories (e.g. 'population', 'fisheries')
limit	integer	optional	Maximum number of results to return (1–50, default 10)
offset	integer	optional	Offset for pagination (default 0)

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "query": {
      "description": "Free-text search query (e.g. 'population', 'fisheries', 'road network')",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "category": {
      "description": "Filter by exact category name from list_categories (e.g. 'Health and Wellness', 'Lands, Forests and Wildlife', 'Crime and Justice', 'Population and Demographics')",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "tag": {
      "description": "Filter by an exact tag name from list_categories (e.g. 'population', 'fisheries')",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "limit": {
      "description": "Maximum number of results to return (1–50, default 10)",
      "default": 10,
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 50
    },
    "offset": {
      "description": "Offset for pagination (default 0)",
      "default": 0,
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 9007199254740991
    }
  },
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

get_dataset_metadata

Retrieve full schema and metadata for a Nova Scotia Open Data dataset by its 8-character identifier (e.g. '3nka-59nz'). Returns all column field names, data types, and descriptions — essential before calling query_dataset so you know the exact field names to use in $select and $where clauses.

Parameters1

dataset_id

string

required

8-character Socrata dataset identifier (e.g. '3nka-59nz')

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "dataset_id": {
      "description": "8-character Socrata dataset identifier (e.g. '3nka-59nz')",
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "dataset_id"
  ],
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

query_dataset

Run a SoQL query against a Nova Scotia Open Data dataset. SoQL is SQL-like. Key clauses (combine with &): $select=col1,col2 — choose columns $where=field='value' — filter rows (use single quotes for strings) $where=field like '%val%' — partial match $order=field DESC — sort $limit=50 — row count (default 25, max 50000) $offset=50 — pagination $group=field — group by (use with aggregate functions) $q=search term — full-text search Aggregates: count(*), sum(col), avg(col), min(col), max(col) Examples: $where=year='2024'&$order=total DESC&$limit=10 $select=department,count(*)&$group=department&$order=count(*) DESC $where=area like '%Halifax%'&$limit=5 Always call get_dataset_metadata first to find exact field names.

Parameters3

dataset_id	string	required	8-character Socrata dataset identifier (e.g. '3nka-59nz')
soql	string	optional	SoQL query string. Multiple clauses joined with '&'. String values in $where must use single quotes: field='value'. Do NOT URL-encode — pass the raw string.
limit	integer	optional	Max rows to return (1–1000, default 25). Ignored if $limit is in soql.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "dataset_id": {
      "description": "8-character Socrata dataset identifier (e.g. '3nka-59nz')",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "soql": {
      "description": "SoQL query string. Multiple clauses joined with '&'. String values in $where must use single quotes: field='value'. Do NOT URL-encode — pass the raw string.",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "limit": {
      "description": "Max rows to return (1–1000, default 25). Ignored if $limit is in soql.",
      "default": 25,
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 1000
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "dataset_id"
  ],
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

Install

Tools (4)

list_categoriessearch_datasetsget_dataset_metadataquery_dataset

Remote endpoint

Streamable HTTP

Hosted server - connect over the network, no local install.

url

https://scotiasignal.ca/mcp

Add to VS Code Add to Cursor

claude_desktop_config.json

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nova-scotia-data-explorer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://scotiasignal.ca/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Desktop config is stdio-only; this bridges via mcp-remote. Native remote: Settings > Connectors.

io.github.SevaSk/nova-scotia-data-explorer (MCP Server)

🛠️ Key Features

🚀 Use Cases

⚡ Developer Benefits

⚠️ Limitations

list_categories

search_datasets

get_dataset_metadata

query_dataset

Install

Remote endpoint

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