Inclusive Engagement
Canadian cities are on the threshold of embracing a new form of inclusion, one which builds digital, technical, and data literacy and breaks down the digital divide and organizational silos.
The State of Open Smart Communities 2019
As the smart city landscape across Canada evolves, cities, towns, and Indigenous communities of all sizes are learning from each other and are building a ‘made in Canada’ version of the smart city.
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A New Paradigm in Smart City Thinking.
The smart city landscape across Canada is rapidly evolving. Cities, towns and Indigenous communities of all sizes are demonstrating the importance and benefits of adopting open and inclusive approaches to using data and technology in their community, and taking steps towards smart city initiatives that meet the needs of residents and local communities.
What are Open Smart Cities?
An Open Smart City is one where all sectors, including residents, collaborate in mobilising data and technologies to develop their community through fair, ethical, and transparent governance that balances economic development, social progress, and environmental responsibility.
Methods
Through contacting over 100 Canadian communities of all sizes in interviews, surveys, and review hundreds of community strategy and plans, this report is a comprehensive summary of the state of Open Smart Cities across the country.
Preliminary Findings
Data Governance
Cities are experiencing challenges associated with the data governance of smart systems and recognize the need to learn from other Open Smart Cities, especially when it comes to building their internal capacity to develop robust and inclusive data governance strategies and policies.
Open Procurement
Procurement in an Open Smart City is about open, transparent contracting with clearly defined processes in place for the acquisition of hardware and software and the governance of data. Few cities have adopted an Open Smart City approach to procurement, although the incentive is there to do so.
Algorithmic Decision-making
AI is not yet widely adopted at the municipal government level in Canada. This presents an opportunity to proactively learn more about AI and develop standards for the use of AI and automated decision-making prior to widespread implementation.
“We can either use Smart City tools in a good way or they’re going to become highly corporatized black boxes that communities don’t have access to because they weren’t being proactive.”
“Using a standard [data] format and open source software allowed us to create a model, which other organizations can adopt, to transform data that is publicly available, but difficult to access, into a vehicle for more transparency and better informed citizens.”
“A Smart City is a just city - and I think that everything we’ve done in the process to emphasize inclusion, ground-up ideas, to try to be empowering rather than directive is really because of that.”
Get In Touch
Contact Details
If you have any questions about this report, or would like to learn more about how the Advisory Service can help you, please don't hesistate to get in touch!
OpenNorth, Montreal, Canada
Phone: +1 438 873 1945
Email: advisoryservice-info@opennorth.ca
“Our success as a Smart City comes from collaborating across sectors to create a shared vision for the future. Digital governance and engagement approaches enable dynamic participation and shared ownership of the problem, process and outcomes with community members.”