With many people still without adequate technology and online access enabling them to learn skills they need to work and study, and with the shift to virtual education, services, and support systems, this has increased the digital divide across our communities. The Digital Equity Strategy builds on our Smart Cities and Resiliency work to explore and roadmap of how best to close this divide, connecting Calgarians, and strengthening the social and economic fabric of our community.

Throughout 2021 and 2022 we looked to understand Calgary’s digital divide and our community’s unique needs. With this information we were able to work with an advisory panel to develop a Digital Equity Strategy with guiding principles that work to meet the needs of Calgarians.

Our last engagement guided the great work we focused on in 2023.

Improving Subsidized Internet Access

In November 2023 Fair Entry and Rogers launched their one year partnership pilot.

• Calgarians can now select affordable internet and telecommunications when applying to Fair Entry. Eligible Fair Entry households will be contacted by Rogers and given access to a variety of internet, TV, and phone plans. We hope the pilot with Rogers encourages more telecoms follow suit and allow Fair Entry to be an access point for their subsidized plans.

Recycling Municipal Devices

The Affordable Device Access (AHA!) Pilot ran from May - November 2023 with The City recycling 234 municipal devices back into the community.

Telecom Advocacy

In the summer of 2023 The City participated in the CRTC consultation on the Broadband Fund Policy to advocate for better regulation to support affordability, accessibility, and competition in internet services.

Service Advocacy

June - December 2023 The City worked with IncluCity to test useability of online services offered by four different business units. The end result will be recommendations to create more accessible digital service and communication standards.

We are now looking for your input to prioritize actions we can collectively take to continue to close the digital divide for Calgarians. Thank you in advance for your participation.