Technicity 2018

On December 12, 2018, the City of Toronto and ITWorld joined forces to present Technicity 2018, a unique showcase aimed at City of Toronto departments, key partners and others to learn about the leadership role that the City of Toronto has taken to embrace technology in order to transform itself into a modern municipality capable of servicing its citizens and businesses in the new digital era. City of Toronto case studies were explored with panels and individual presentations providing insights and best practices.
Several departments were showcased such as Toronto’s transportation services whose efforts include making intersections safe for pedestrians and cyclists and creating more efficient roads and highways. Thought leadership also explored topics such as open data, big data analytics, artificial intelligence and the role of emerging technologies in improving service delivery. For instance, Gabe Sawhney, Executive Director of Code for Canada, Tina Scott, Manager of Application Services and Grant Coffey, Director of Strategy and Program Management Innovative Procurement, pictured above, focused on innovation in delivering city services including blockchain, new ways to procure goods called negotiable RFPs, and new opportunities to help the disenfranchised in the community. Another panel spoke about the city’s award-winning alternative payment system that leverages technology to coordinate the way in which parking tickets are dealt across several departments. Other presentations covered topics such as artificial intelligence driving health services outcomes; use of drone technologies; and unique water services sensor technologies. The event concluded with awards given to city teams working on innovative projects, called the 2018 Toronto GOT IT Awards of Excellence.
This is an interesting approach for a city to help to change its culture by demonstrating and celebrating its own achievements to its various city departments, to its partners and to key stakeholders. It helps to transform the city’s administration and bring about self-confidence and pride in the work that the city’s teams have been able to achieve. As thought leadership was delivered by the panels and the keynote speaker, Toronto’s CIO, Rob Meikle, pictured below, a unique sense of community and professionalism pervaded the event.