The Digital Divide and Canadian Smart Cities Implementation

• In Event: Technological and Social Change in Canadian Politics and Governance

Abstract

Key to the creation of Smart Cities is the implementation of digital opportunities and infrastructure, which is an integral part of the digitization of public services. The process of determining which services should move online and be made more accessible can prove challenging. In this paper, we rely on results from a survey administered to a national sample of residents, and surveys completed by local administrators and politicians in 33 Canadian CMAs to gauge impressions of Smart City services and innovation. The findings in this paper demonstrate that the preferences of citizens, administrators and politicians are not always aligned when it comes to the digitization of local services. We discuss implications for the future of service delivery and technological development at the city and community level.

Authors

• Zachary Spicer, University of Toronto

• Nicole J Goodman, Centre for e-Democracy

• David A Wolfe, University of Toronto