Item - 2023.EX8.8

The Executive Committee recommend that:  

1. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to consult with the technology community, anti-poverty groups, those with lived experience in the digital divide including Indigenous, Black, and racialized groups, and potential end users in developing an expanded Toronto public Wi-Fi strategy, with a focus to bridge the digital divide and to promote economic development through connectivity modernization.

2. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to leverage the Technology Strategic Partnership Roundtable with Agency and Corporation technology leaders to:

a.  explore potential utilization of all City, agency, and corporation network assets to deliver efficient and cost-effective services; and

b.  ensure, as far as possible, that all new developments, builds, major revitalizations, and upgrades in City-owned facilities assess the inclusion of City-owned in-building wiring and fibre connectivity infrastructure, and use City-defined standards and specifications.

3. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to continue intergovernmental collaborations and City Council authorize the Chief Technology Officer to negotiate, enter into and execute any agreements with, and receive funds from or pay funds to other public entities and levels of government with which staff may partner in order to promote regional and other collaboration for more efficient use of public assets, that may be necessary to carry out and implement City Council's decision, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Chief Technology Officer, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

4. City Council request the Chief Technology Officer to report back to the Executive Committee in the second quarter of 2025 to provide a further progress update on the ConnectTO program..

5. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer, in consultation with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Hydro, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, the President, Toronto Parking Authority, and the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to develop a framework and options to optimize network digital infrastructure across City-owned and/or -developed facilities. 

In January 2021, City Council adopted the “Affordable Internet Connectivity for All – ConnectTO” report, which outlined a program focusing on bridging the digital divide and improving connectivity for all Toronto residents. This report is a progress update on the program, focusing centrally on its expansion of public Wi-Fi across the City. This report seeks Council’s continued support to increase digital equity through the ConnectTO program, as well as providing updates on the next phase of implementation, focused on leveraging City assets for efficiency and connectivity, such as free public Wi-Fi and connectivity through partnerships with Agencies and Corporations.

Since the previous report to Council, the ConnectTO program has continued to take action based on data and research and per Council’s mandate to centralize and lead the City’s connectivity equity efforts, including:

·  Access to City and other online services has increased through the deployment of free public Wi-Fi at:

-  74 community recreation centres, in partnership with Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division;

-  Eight housing facilities’ common areas, in partnership with Toronto Community Housing Corporation; and

-  Free public Wi-Fi in the St. Lawrence Market Complex, including St. Lawrence Hall;

-  Continued partnerships with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to research and analyse digital access, including impact of the Digital Canopy initiative (see Attachment 1);

·  Engaged in external legal review on of models to leverage City assets to bridge the digital divide;

·  Continued productive dialogue and leadership with other big cities coast to coast and with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), seeking alignment on connectivity priorities (see Attachment 2); and

·  Engaged a consultant to determine which regional models might exist to collaborate with Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) partners to meet municipal telecommunications needs (details are included in Attachment 2).

Building on existing work, staff recommend the development of a Council-directed City of Toronto Wi-Fi strategy, which would aim to further increase free public Wi-Fi access for residents and visitors (Recommendation 1). This strategy would be guided by a public consultation process and the principles of digital equity, universal accessibility, security and transparency, and community safety. Providing public Wi-Fi in City facilities and public spaces – meeting resident and visitor expectations – would represent an upgrading of the City’s digital offering to meet Canadian and North American municipalities’ long-standing standards.

The impact of this and of ConnectTO’s other projects detailed below is key because we know that digital access and affordability barriers correlate to underlying issues of social equity. Low-income, racialized, and elderly communities have fewer options for reliable broadband access available to them. Council’s continued support for the ConnectTO program overall will allow the City to take important steps to improve digital equity in the City of Toronto.  

Research shows that, in Toronto, digital access and affordability barriers correlate to underlying issues of social equity; with low-income, racialized, and elderly communities having fewer options for reliable broadband access available to them. Council’s continued support for the ConnectTO program overall will allow the City to take important steps to improve digital equity in the City of Toronto.  

Additionally and as directed by Council on July 19, 2022, this report also includes Attachment 3 which reviews the full cost of the July 8, 2022 Rogers outage to Toronto’s economy, City services, and functions that were disrupted.

Social Development, Finance and Administration, Toronto Public Health, Economic Development and Culture, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Toronto Emergency Management, Transportation Services, Corporate Real Estate Management, Legal Services, and the City Manager's Office were consulted in the preparation of this report. In addition, Toronto Community Housing, Toronto Public Library, and CreateTO were consulted on this report.