Toronto Pushback Shows Path Forward for Smart Cities Is Full of Compromises
Photo Credit: A render depicting Sidewalk Labs' Quayside plan. Sidewalk Labs / https://medium.com/sidewalk-toronto/aging-and-thriving-in-place-2d7679066c80
Skift Take
By pushing back against Sidewalk Labs, the city of Toronto has shown that the future of the smart city will be forged by compromise and collaboration with local authorities.
As urban living innovations become more attractive to travelers, and some of the world's biggest companies work to develop new concepts to build technology-first neighborhoods, cities around the world are embracing new models of living and working.
Backlash to the influence of technology companies on city life, however, has presented problems for companies like Amazon and Alphabet as they attempt to break into major cities in North America.
As Skift reported earlier this year, Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs division had proposed a far-reaching and invasive plan to redevelop Toronto's Waterfront district. The lengthy proposal was met with resistance from locals and lawmakers, many of whom saw the potential for violation of privacy law and an example of corporate lar
