unable to download spacy model - python-3.x

Question

Downloading spacy "en" model by following command
python -m spacy download en
throws URL error.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/runpy.py", line 193, in _run_module_as_main
"__main__", mod_spec)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/runpy.py", line 85, in _run_code
exec(code, run_globals)
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/spacy/__main__.py", line 31, in <module>
plac.call(commands[command], sys.argv[1:])
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/plac_core.py", line 328, in call
cmd, result = parser.consume(arglist)
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/plac_core.py", line 207, in consume
return cmd, self.func(*(args + varargs + extraopts), **kwargs)
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/spacy/cli/download.py", line 30, in download
shortcuts = get_json(about.__shortcuts__, "available shortcuts")
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/spacy/cli/download.py", line 55, in get_json
data = url_read(url)
File "/Users/siddharthdas/venvs/chai/lib/python3.6/site-packages/spacy/compat.py", line 82, in url_read
file_ = url_open(url)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 223, in urlopen
return opener.open(url, data, timeout)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 526, in open
response = self._open(req, data)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 544, in _open
'_open', req)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 504, in _call_chain
result = func(*args)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 1361, in https_open
context=self._context, check_hostname=self._check_hostname)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/urllib/request.py", line 1320, in do_open
raise URLError(err)
urllib.error.URLError: <urlopen error [SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed (_ssl.c:749)>
Then I tried installing Install Certificates.command but it didn't solved the problem.
Specifications:
OS: Mac High Sierra
ENV: venv (python virtual environment)

Answer 1

The problem might be related to this issue and PR, and the fact that unlike requests, urllib doesn't check for certificates in extra places.
After some back and forth, the upcoming version of spaCy will revert this change and go back to using requests – dropping the dependency just wasn't worth the hassle. In the meantime, you can always download and install the models manually by pointing pip install to the direct URL. See this section in the docs for details.