Let’s Talk Smart Cities: The City of Winnipeg
On June 10, 2021, the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) in partnership with Tech Manitoba hosted the fourth community engagement session in a series of ongoing public consultations across Canada. These sessions, which fall under the umbrella of ICTC’s multi-year smart cities research initiative, are designed to engage with communities to help better understand the scope of challenges and opportunities unique to each region. The sessions encourage local residents to explore what “smart cities” technologies, and the industry more broadly, mean to them as local residents. Their participation provides insight into the ways new technologies can directly or indirectly influence their experience as Canadians. Specifically, their help provides an added level of depth and context to ongoing discussions designed to help shape innovative research.
The Winnipeg community engagement session, held virtually for residents on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe (Ojibway,) Ininew (Cree,) Oji-Cree, Dene, Dakota, and Métis Nations, was open to members of the general public and designed to attract a range of attendees. Thanks to the support provided by Tech Manitoba, participants from the public and not-for-profit sector, academia, industry, and the startup community were all present at the event, representing a diverse set of opinions on the region’s wellbeing.
Getting Started
After a brief welcome on behalf of ICTC, the session kicked-off with a keynote address from Tech Manitoba Chief Executive Officer Kelly Fournel. Tech Manitoba is the province’s leading tech association, encouraging the development of a stronger and more innovative tech community. Their membership-based institution is designed to promote collaboration and education while supporting the growth of their stakeholder group, both regionally and abroad. Kelly started with an introduction of the organization’s mission, vision, and focus areas, detailing initiatives for both businesses and individuals. (Here is some information related to their programs: Digital Literacy, Youth in Tech, Virtual Trade Accelerator and Diversity + Inclusion.) As noted, Manitoba’s robust tech ecosystem is comprised of startups, scale-ups, multinational enterprises, tech enablers, accelerators, incubators, and angel investors. Kelly added that Manitoba offers skilled talent, accessible education and training programs, a favourable investment climate, and attractive conditions to become a well-recognized smart city.
Elaborating on Manitoba’s tech ecosystem, Kelly applauded Winnipeg for landing on the Intelligent Community Forum’s Smart21 list for the ninth time in the past 11 years. The City of Winnipeg was recognized among 21 other municipalities worldwide as being well equipped for the 21st century. The city was selected based on several factors that determine a city’s level of competitiveness in the digital economy. For instance, the City of Winnipeg demonstrated its commitment to open government and data transparency through its open data programs, like the International Open Data Charter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city shifted many of its in-person services, resources, and programs online. The city also improved several existing digital services for residents: for instance, the city homepage and 311 self-service website. Recognizing that not every resident has internet access and digital skills, the city also helped bridge the digital divide by providing access to online resources, content, free Wi-Fi, access to computers, as well as technology training for residents.
After the keynote address, participants formed smaller discussion groups to begin the public consultation process. Discussions focused on a growing and in-demand digital economy workforce, data driven decision-making, and the myriad of possibilities enabled by IoT sensors connected to city infrastructure. ICTC’s Nathan Snider and Maryna Ivus led participants through a series of curated topics designed to highlight a wide range of important issues. The following provides an overview of key insights gleaned from these discussions.
Defining “Smart City”
Perceptions surrounding “smart cities” differ between regions given their unique circumstances. In past consultations, considerations surrounding Winnipeg’s public transportation system and roadways dominated conversations. Likewise, Winnipeg’s original smart city application highlighted transportation as a leading issue when conducting their stakeholder engagement events, followed closely by matters of public safety, and emergency response times. ICTC’s participants believed that eco-friendly transportation such as renewable-energy-powered public transit options and fully autonomous vehicles were core to the concept of a smart city. As one participant noted:
“A smarty city is a place that makes the world a little more livable for its inhabitants. It anticipates the needs that citizens may have, making life more convenient.”
Smart Mobility
Winnipeg still faces a multitude of urban challenges, with transportation at the forefront. As Winnipeg grows and develops, traffic congestion and commute times are expected to worsen unless better solutions emerge to mitigate these issues and manage flow. Participants raised several concerns surrounding an insufficient transportation network, including loss of personal time and productivity challenges.
“We all know that traffic flow is a big pain point in Winnipeg. Probably, the only positive thing that came out of the pandemic is that I don’t have to stress every single time that I go to work or go home from work. Knowing that this is a chronic problem, Winnipeg requires some kind of technology to manage traffic flow.”
Interestingly, Winnipeg lags other Canadian cities when it comes to transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs). Participants raised several possible reasons for this, including the lack of charging infrastructure that is also required. Larger cities such as Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver boast 500 to 1,200 charging stations, while Winnipeg offers only 68. Likewise, concerns surrounding EVs struggling in colder climates, and a lack of provincial incentives to offset EVs elevated purchase prices were also mentioned. Given that electrification is an area of rapid growth and development for several other Canadian cities, attendees believe it to be a priority for Winnipeg’s future.
“I see, potentially, that Winnipeg and Manitoba in general can offer a lot to the autonomous vehicles (AVs) industry by being more friendly to those AVs test sites with specialization in winter conditions. This can attract businesses, a new workforce, and investments in the development of the technology. Currently, it’s not necessarily what’s happening in Winnipeg. I’m aware of some work that is being done in Ontario with their facilities for autonomous vehicles. I wish it was somewhere here as well.”
Participants further indicated that open and accessible data are key to defining what a smart city means to them as residents. Attendees noted that historically, data shared by industry and government has been largely unavailable outside of institutions such as StatsCan. The City of Winnipeg, however, is now home to multiple open data portals that offer important insights into the social, health, and economic wellbeing of local residents.
“Any companies or individuals who are interested can work with this open data and make it even more accessible. It can be used for web applications to make it more meaningful for the public or organizations.” — Participant Insight
For instance, the City of Winnipeg’s Open Data Portal provides a large number of interactive and real-time datasets, maps, and infographics for all areas of governance and services. This includes open capital, open budget, finance, city services, and transit APIs. Winnipeg’s interactive data dashboard, Peg, is another source of data and analysis on more than 55 economic, environmental, cultural, and social indicators that are important for the city. Designed to benefit all Winnipeggers, the indicators are grouped along eight themes: Built Environment, Basic Needs, Economy, Education and Learning, Health, Natural Environment, Social Vitality and Governance, and Demographics.
To address data availability, respondents also shared ideas about “community tech villages” and “collaborative labs,” which could leverage publicly available data streams for widespread use. One attendee did, however, voice criticisms, suggesting that despite services like Peg, Winnipeg’s smart city strategy remains too broad and unfocused in comparison to other municipal strategies. This may have discouraged the interest of investors such as Cisco and could result in less commercial smart city activity and adoption across the region.
In addition to key infrastructure and data, throughout this discussion, participants often emphasized that a smart city is one that focuses on improving quality of life. Inclusion and the connection between individuals (both in communication and physical presence) was deemed critical, and technology was cited as playing a key role in facilitating this. As a result, accessible technologies emerged as a key theme, with one participant saying that “technology is an enabler of smart cities, fostering opportunities and services for residents, including people with disabilities and underserved groups, that would otherwise be unavailable.”
Finally, participants highlighted organizational collaboration (as business-to-business or not-for-profit relationships based on mutual gain) as key to their understanding of a Smart Winnipeg. The North Forge program and PTECH are two such collaborative tech-related programs designed to serve the wider Manitoban community. North Forge operates as an incubator and accelerator for regional startups, and PTECH is a progressive secondary school program fostering K-12 tech talent. Both programs catalyzed deeper discussions about Winnipeg’s collaborative nature. One participant shared that Winnipeg should seek to combine public sentiments with informed research, leading to quality municipal decision-making and optimized social systems such as healthcare.
Access, Community Health and Wellness
Participants indicated that 2020 highlighted a series of challenges. Some existed prior to COVID-19 and were exacerbated by the pandemic, while others emerged as new or evolving trends. Indeed, COVID-19 highlighted longstanding concerns about internet connectivity in remote, rural, and urban spaces, increasing connectivity fees, and the disproportionate impact of these issues on underrepresented communities. Rising unemployment, job displacement, job skilling and reskilling also represented leading concerns, followed closely by issues of racism and inequity. As one attendee noted, in Winnipeg “the pandemic has certainly highlighted the digital gap between those who have assets and digital literacy skills, and those who do not. Sadly, the gap seems to underscore racial inequalities.” Another respondent indicated that technology could play a stronger role in monitoring social media platforms, intervening or preventing racially motivated hate crimes. Along with skilling and reskilling, the future of education was also discussed. Some felt that increased tuition fees and a shift toward online learning would make education in the region cost prohibitive, perpetuating issues of inequality. This was attributed to the rising costs of technology and internet connectivity fees. One respondent noted how educator training in e-learning is also lacking in the region, noting that “instructional design and in-person teaching are very different skill sets, and we have not yet prepared our community to understand how this will evolve.”
Other concerns pertained to Winnipeg’s lack of communication and information sharing between healthcare services. With the growth of digital health, participants voiced concerns related to a broadening digital divide, causing local residents to question the quality of care being provided to those in need. One participant said that the lack of information and data sharing between hospitals, long term care facilities, emergency, and social services has created significant challenges for residents seeking care. This feedback prompted recommendations for a more responsive digital public health policy that addresses healthcare emergencies and streamlines access to primary care. Likewise, matters of homelessness were also correlated to public health concerns, raising questions of improved public housing and its connection to a healthier community.
Additionally, matters of data collection, storage and use were also highlighted within the context of healthcare and community wellbeing. One participant noted that the urgency and nature of how personalized health data was being collected and shared across institutions presents ethical considerations. Although not exclusively a municipal responsibility, how health data is collected, stored, leveraged, and presented fosters privacy concerns, with many attendees feeling unclear about who was ultimately accountable.
Optimistically, COVID-19 did prompt some residents to identify opportunities to improve Winnipeg’s healthcare system. Attendees said that the pandemic forced individuals outside of their comfort zone, presenting opportunities to recognize how technology could improve quality of life. For example, one participant shared how artificial intelligence (AI) could help triage emergency hospital patients during their visits. Participants also pointed to the opportunities presented by Winnipeg’s long-standing garment manufacturing sector. Comments highlighted how, in times of prolonged crisis, it could pivot and address Canada’s domestic personal protective equipment (PPE) needs and address supply chain issues.
Local Business and Talent
Opportunities afforded by remote work and a diverse population also encouraged a great deal of optimism among Winnipeg residents. As one individual noted that having an ethnically diverse population in rural and urban areas helps to ensure a greater degree of acceptance and inclusivity among the community while also contributing to population growth. In addition to warm-hearted comments such as “it feels like we [as Winnipeggers] appreciate each other more,” participants linked their sense of optimism to opportunities related to working from home. For small and medium sized businesses, the ability to tap into a remote workforce in Northern Manitoba, where reliable internet is available, opens several doors. For a skilled workforce that is uninterested or unable to move away from a particular community, remote work also offers new opportunities. As one participant shared “businesses now realize they can trust their employees to work remotely, which was an issue previously.” Likewise, participants also felt that the combination of improved technology and a work-from-home movement would encourage skilled talent from other urban centres to consider the benefits of living in a smaller, more affordable city like Winnipeg.
What’s Next for Winnipeg?
Participants remained largely optimistic about Winnipeg and possibilities for the future. When asked to consider what prospects were most exciting, attendees highlighted topics such as healthcare infrastructure upgrades. These were also accompanied by comments related to accessibility, travel, and tourism. As one noted, “technology should be leveraged to make public spaces safer and more widely accessible, as a matter of municipal priority.” This was followed closely by remarks surrounding environmental protections pertaining to housing and commercial developments. Likewise, other participants commented on the attractiveness of investments in clean technologies, specifically those that might aid in recycling infrastructure and public park improvements. More extensive opportunities are in the form of long-term planning and policy considerations tied to Winnipeg’s “smart and Intelligent Infrastructure” framework (particularly related to matters of inclusivity). One participant elaborated on this idea, suggesting that smart infrastructure should focus on quality-of-life improvements for residents. Other priorities that were mentioned included eliminating homelessness, increasing upskilling efforts to grow workforce participation (i.e., upskilling or reskilling of displaced workers etc.), and increasing economic development to create meaningful employment opportunities for all.
To the question, “What does a Smart Winnipeg meant to you?” one respondent summarized the notion of improved and inclusive quality of life, suggesting that Winnipeg should “provide resources, services, and opportunities for underrepresented groups to improve quality of life [for them and all of Winnipeg].” This comment also included a focus on ensuring that reconciliation efforts were addressed, allowing Indigenous community partners to be primary drivers of local change.
Important Considerations
The session concluded with an exercise that tasked participants with reviewing their collective feedback and arranging it into what they felt were thematic groups. Attendees placed a great deal of attention on social issues and underscored the importance of inclusivity, empathy, and matters related to Winnipeg’s digital divide. Respondents also felt certain issues could not be reasonably grouped together, such as the changing nature of work, open data, supply chain vulnerabilities, and opportunities for local businesses.
Conclusion
Featured on the Smart 21 list for the ninth time, Winnipeg is a key “smart” Canadian city. With a population that is expected to continue to grow, and a robust tech ecosystem, Winnipeg residents continue to turn to technology for solutions. These solutions now drive city services, accessible public data, transportation, and health and wellbeing. Although concerns remain, overall, attendees remained largely optimistic about Winnipeg’s future. Open data and digital inclusion programs, a transition to in-person services and online events, as well as remote work were just a few areas identified along Winnipeg’s ongoing “smart” journey.
ICTC’s subsequent community engagement session took place in Regina on September 8th in partnership with SaskTel. ICTC engaged Regina residents to discuss the state of Regina’s technology ecosystem and learn what a smart city means to them. Stay tuned for an overview of that session!
