Advancing Community Resilience through Smart Approaches: A Resource for Canadian Communities

Now, perhaps more than ever, Canadian communities are being both encouraged (by, for example, the Smart Cities Challenge) and required (due to climate change, urbanization, and other emerging trends threatening to disrupt daily life) to find innovative solutions to the challenges facing their communities. The growing prevalence of smart cities reflects this shift. While commonly understood as one that uses data and connected technology to accelerate innovation within local communities, we approach smart cities through a newer concept, called the Open Smart Community.

Climate change impacts are being felt across Canada in significant ways. With observed increases in average temperature and precipitation over the last six decades, including especially rapid rates of warming in the North, climate change is already affecting Canada’s environment and economy, as well as the safety, physical, mental, cultural, and spiritual health and well-being of Canadians. With these impacts projected to intensify in the coming decades, it is essential that Canadians act now to adapt and build resilience to climate change.

The connection between open smart approaches and local government action to reduce climate impacts are increasingly being considered and explored, but it is a newly emerging practice across Canada. This toolkit provides guidance and resources to Canadian communities seeking to build resilience through data and connected technology approaches.