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The latest news from Code for Canada, and updates on the country's growing civic tech movement.
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Meet the 2018 Code for Canada fellows!
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Please join us in welcoming Andee, Andrew, Caley, Evan, Fatima, Jennifer, Joey, Pallavi and Siobhan to the Code for Canada network. The 2018 Code for Canada fellows have founded startups, consulted for Fortune 500 companies, and lent their technology and design talents to businesses, governments and NGOs, ranging from Microsoft to the City of Boston and the United Nations.
The next step in their journey will be working with staff at the Public Service Commission of Canada, City of Toronto Transportation Services and Transport Canada to deliver modern, user-friendly and impactful products.
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The Government of Canada’s new digital standard
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Following the path of digital government leaders from Ontario to New Zealand, the Government of Canada has released its new Digital Standards, a set of guidelines for how to create and manage modern digital services. The list includes digital best practices like ”design with users,” “iterate and improve frequently” and “build in accessibility from the start.”
Digital service standards are important because they serve as a guiding light, creating a shared understanding across government departments about what great digital services look like and how to build them. This ensures users receive a positive and consistent experience regardless of which service, department or website they’re engaging with.
The federal government is already putting the new digital standards into practice as it develops the successor to the embattled Phoenix pay system.
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Reflecting on Civic Hall Toronto's first quarter
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From left: Toronto city councillor Paul Ainslie, Civic Hall Toronto Program Manager Shea Sinnott, Toronto’s Manager of Entrepreneurship Services Chris Rickett, Code for Canada Executive Director Gabe Sawhney, Toronto’s Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards Tracey Cook and Centre for Social Innovation Toronto Director Adil Dhalla pose at the launch of Civic Hall Toronto.
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Code for Canada’s newest program, Civic Hall Toronto, grew out of a desire to unite people from different sectors who want to use technology and design for the common good.
In a recent blog post, Program Manager Shea Sinnott reflects on the first four months of Civic Hall Toronto. She shares some of our wins (11 government members and counting!), outlines some of the challenges facing the civic tech sector, including a lack of capacity and traditional funding support, and explains how CHT will spend the next quarter building connections between civic innovators inside and outside of government.
If you’re in the GTA and would like to get involved in Civic Hall Toronto, check out our first government member “Office Hours” on Sept. 28, or join us for Six Degrees of Social Innovation on Oct. 9.
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How civic tech is helping Vancouver get smart(er)
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Code for Canada is highlighting examples of how local governments and civic tech communities are collaborating to deliver positive impacts for residents. Our latest piece digs in to how Civic Tech Vancouver contributed to the city’s shortlisted Smart Cities Challenge proposal.
Vancouver’s Smart Cities Challenge pitch -- a network of autonomous vehicle corridors -- grew out of a civic tech hacknight co-hosted by the City of Vancouver’s civic engagement office. It’s a great example of the value civic tech groups can offer municipal public servants seeking new solutions to old problems.
“All we ever want in government is more civic participation, and often times it’s hard to reach into these types of networks; having these groups is a real asset,” said Cheryn Wong, a public engagement specialist with the City of Vancouver.
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Your fall guide to civic tech and digital government conferences
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- This year’s Elevate Tech Festival (Toronto, Sept. 21 - 27) is hosting both a Smart Cities and a Social Impact track. Code for Canada staff will be on hand at the event, so come say hello!
- The Heroes of Tech (Oct. 8-11, Bucharest, Romania) is this year’s Code for All Summit. It’s an opportunity to share learnings and look for opportunities to collaborate with the global civic tech community. Code for Canada’s Kelly Halseth and Luke Simcoe will be attending, and would love to connect with other Canadians at the summit!
- Back for 2018, FWD50 (Ottawa, Nov. 7-9) brings together residents, public servants, elected officials, technologists, and innovative thinkers from around the world for a three-day conversation on digital transformation. You’ll be able to spot the C4C team by our red track jackets.
- The Canadian Open Data Summit (Niagara, Nov. 7-9) is the country’s premiere event related to the principle and practice of open data. Ontario’s Chief Digital Officer, the always awesome Hillary Hartley, will be delivering the keynote!
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Code for Canada is hiring!
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Code for Canada is looking for a digital communications and writing professional who can identify compelling stories of civic tech and digital government, and translate them into engaging online content and offline events.
If that sounds like you, or someone you know, check out our latest job posting!
The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2018 at 11 p.m.
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Some light civic tech reading
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- In New Brunswick, open data keeps the river on watch. On the Code for Canada blog, Aaron Wytze Wilson explores how collaboration between the provincial government and Civic Tech Fredericton led to a better way of keeping residents informed about flood risks.
- Civic tech as a tween. In case you missed it, Cyd Harrell’s examination of the past, present and future of the civic tech movement is required reading for anyone working at the intersection of technology and the public interest.
- Is it “polivery” or “deliverolicy”? The folks at the Canadian Digital Service have been vocal advocates for using cross-functional, multidisciplinary teams in government. In their latest blog post, the CDS team explains why policy experts belong on digital delivery teams.
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GET INVOLVED
How you can help
We're working hard to ensure governments across Canada keep pace with technology and deliver the best services possible for their residents. But we can't do it alone. Here's how you can lend a hand.
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1. Help spread the word! Follow Code for Canada on social media, and share our efforts to grow the civic tech movement!
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2. Share your stories! Are you a government innovator or civic tech practitioner with a success story to tell? Let us know, and we can share it with our audience of engaged residents, public servants, community advocates and technologists! You can get in touch at hello@codefor.ca!
3. Join your local civic tech group! You can find the one nearest you on our website. If there’s not one near you, Code for Canada’s Civic Tech Toolkit can help you start one!
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Thank you to our partners!
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