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Building Geospatial Data Capacity at the Municipal Level: A Case for Collaboration

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This report is the result of a joint research initiative between Esri Canada and Open North. The objective of this research was to learn more about geospatial capacity in municipalities across Canada, how they are harnessing this capacity to meet current and future needs, and how collaboration with other municipalities, levels of government, and supporting […]

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Open Smart Communities in Practice: How communities across Canada advance their goals and overcome challenges using data and technology

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About the report This report documents the progress of several ‘smart city’ initiatives currently underway in communities across Canada. It will be particularly useful for local government staff who work within municipal, regional, and other local government structures on initiatives featuring smart or digital components. The report provides a glimpse into the institutional changes that […]

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Smart Cities and Human Rights

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In this brief, the authors outline the risks that smart city technologies pose to human rights as set out in Canadian law. At the fundamental level, local government staff must uphold human rights or otherwise risk legal repercussions and public backlash. In a more proactive framing, this brief explores smart city projects from a different […]

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Open Smart City Initiatives as Tools for Indigenous Data Sovereignty

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Indigenous data are largely not held or possessed by the Indigenous nations and peoples they represent. As an organization that focuses on data sharing and Open Smart Communities, we have much to learn to ensure that the First Nations Principles of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) set forth by the First Nations Information Governance […]

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Press Release: Announcement – Leadership Team at Open North

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It’s official! Open North is excited to announce that the Interim Leadership Team that led the organization through our recent transition period will now be made permanent. Executive Director, Merlin Chatwin Deputy Director – Program Delivery, Maria Tomovic Deputy Director – Operations, Lana Petraznyk As of December 1st 2021, Merlin assumes the permanent role of […]

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Creating Civic Value in Open Smart Communities

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As the concept of “Open Smart Cities” has matured, complex issues are arising. These issues range from reconfiguring relationships between municipal departments to placing restrictions on how urban technology is deployed. Cities must determine who is accountable for the impact of new technology and they must ensure that the technology is maintained over time. Finding […]

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Partnership Announcement: Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)

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We are excited to collaborate with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) on values-based initiatives to help municipalities use data and technology in the public’s interest. We will work together to better understand challenges and innovative solutions for communities, identify learning opportunities from our own experiences towards engaging with our respective networks, as well […]

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Partnership Announcement: The Firelight Group

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We’ve partnered with The Firelight Group to create values-based workshops that include the best practices on the effective and responsible use of data and technology from the perspective of Indigenous and non-indigenous communities and the challenges faced by these communities. This partnership reinforces Firelight’s goal of ensuring that communities’ needs form the basis of the […]

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Partnership Announcement: Responsible AI Institute

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Open North is very pleased to announce a new partnership with the Responsible AI Institute (RAI).  Together, we will collaborate on values-based initiatives to help municipalities use AI in the public’s interest. Namely: 1) gain a better understanding of the challenges communities face related to the use of artificial intelligence; 2) identify learnings from the […]

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Partnership Announcement: Open North and Numana

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Open North and Numana are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on data and technology initiatives for municipalities across Canada. Through this partnership, our organizations will work together to build capacity within municipalities to responsibly and effectively use data and technology in the public interest. We aim to accomplish […]

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