Canada Smart Cities Platform (CSCP)
Introduction
The contemporary world is faced with rapid and serious transformations that affect all dimensions of lifestyles. It can be observed that there have been rapid and dramatic changes in the last two years due to the global challenges revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the pandemic has changed how we work, learn, and interact since physical distancing rules have led to a more virtual existence, both personally and professionally. The COVID-19 pandemic has led politicians and leaders to revaluate policies and strategize how best to prepare their respective countries for tremendous challenges and unprecedented issues that exist in the world.
It may be argued that this kind of change will always create some barriers but also opportunities as well.
Urban + Future platform will aim to rethink how cities can be built and create global cohesion to support and prepare (their inhabitants) civil societies and NGOs to advance through this transformation smoothly and easily. There are opportunities that exist that can bring about positive outcomes whether cultural, economic, or environmental that will produce specific values for innovators. The approach of this project to catalyse this kind of transformation in urbanization and will have a focus on the use of technology and innovation in a practical way.
When the current typology of urbanization is reviewed, it can be deduced that there are still some gaps in the practical use of technology which is one of the main reasons for creating this global platform.
According to The Welding Institute, “a smart city uses information and communication technology (ICT) to improve operational efficiency, share information with the public and provide a better quality of government service and citizen welfare. The main goal of a smart city is to optimise city functions and promote economic growth while also improving the quality of life for citizens by using smart technologies and data analysis[1].”
People can expect to experience new typology of settlements and housing through transforming or changing their lifestyles. The concept of smart cities will help humanity to use technology in urbanization in an efficient way.
Smart City Index (2020) “suggests that the cities that have been able to combine technologies, leadership and a strong culture of ‘living and acting together’ should be able to better withstand the most damaging effects of such crises.[2]"
In 2015, United Nations Member States unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which is a common blueprint that will serve to bring countries together to work toward peace and prosperity for people and the planet. At the core of this historic undertaking are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is a call to countries to bring about global transformation through partnerships. The SDGs recognize that the goals that countries around the world aim to achieve are interlinked and all other “deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.”[3]
The proposed Urban +Future initiative will be Based on the ideals of establishing strong global partnerships and collaborations to achieve the SDGs, and through the collaboration with Canadian entrepreneurs, scholars and academics, urban activists, investors, and people working in the real estate area, there is an opportunity to support innovative solutions in creating new cities.
In 2017, Government of Canada launched the first competition of the Smart Cities Challenge, helping communities across the country develop and implement their smart cities initiatives[4]
As an OECD report “Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth[5]” observes, smart cities need to be cross-sectoral and encompass sectors such as energy, transport, health, and medical care. Hence, shifting from a government-led approach to public-private collaboration is an important priority. Smart city projects can only be successful if they engage a variety of stakeholders, such as technology developers and service providers, city developers, city administrators, residents and local companies.
Goals
- Providing practical models of smart cities in the scale of neighborhoods
- Creating investment packages
- Collaboration to realize Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Process
- Develop a criterion based on SDGs and New Urban Agenda regarding the platform
- Categorizing five top subjects under the umbrella of smart cities to create neighbourhoods
- Creating a collaboration with the cities to develop regional projects, creating investment impact fund for founding the smart cities
References
[1] The Welding Institute, https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-a-smart-city
[2] https://www.imd.org/smart-city-observatory/smart-city-index/
[3] United Nations, SDGs, https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[4] https://impact.canada.ca/en/node/117
[5] Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth, OECD 2020
Board of Trustee
Massoud Ghandchi
Member of the Board
Co-Director of Urban + Future President and Founder of Ghandchi Organization
Lynn Xu
Member of the Board
Member of Urban + Future Director, University Research Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Dr. Elahe Pourkarimi
Member of the Board
Ph.D. in Environmental Management, Researcher, Research Center for Environment and Sustainable Development, Department of Environment, Iran & Deputy General Director of the Environmental Legal and Parliament Affairs, Department of Environment, Iran
