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City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release

May 28, 2024

City of Toronto kicks off consultations for expanded free public wi-fi strategy

Beginning Thursday, May 30, the City of Toronto will hold a series of public consultations to inform an expanded Free Public Wi-Fi Strategy based on considerations including how residents use free public Wi-Fi, which City spaces could benefit from it, steps the City can take to enhance the experience of getting online and ways to monitor quality and identify areas for improvement. In addition to public consultations, the City is working with community organizations across Toronto to facilitate in-depth discussions with people with lived experience in the digital divide.

Consultations

Virtual consultations will be held on:
• Thursday, May 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 18, from 1 to 2 p.m.

In-person consultations will be held on:
• Tuesday, June 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Driftwood Community Recreation Centre, 4401 Jane St.
• Thursday, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Heron Park Community Centre, 292 Manse Rd.

Participants have the option to join virtual consultations by phone. More information about timing, locations and dial-in details for virtual consultations can be found on the City’s webpage: www.toronto.ca/torontos-expanded-free-public-wi-fi-strategy/.

ConnectTO program

Since its launch in May 2021, the City of Toronto’s ConnectTO program focused on improving the lives of Toronto residents through expanded access to the internet.

The City’s ConnectTO initiatives are guided by critical data on Toronto’s digital divide: where it exists, who it affects and how best to address it. For this reason, the program sponsors new research with several Toronto-area and beyond higher educational institution partners. The researchers and students of these institutions provide insight into the experiences of the digital divide, and this insight is used to ensure that resources are deployed for greatest impact to help bridge the divide.


To date, the City has installed free public Wi-Fi in more than 100 locations across the city including community parks and recreation centres, the St. Lawrence Market and select Toronto Community Housing Corporation locations, with more to come.

Quotes:

"I encourage everyone to participate in the upcoming consultations to help shape and expand the free public Wi-Fi strategy. The City of Toronto is committed to including the voice of the public in the work that it does. I look forward to listening to the input that we receive and bringing this into the continued development of the free public Wi-Fi program."
– Sonia Brar, Chief Technology Officer, City of Toronto

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, innovation and climate action, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit www.toronto.ca or follow us on X at x.com/cityoftoronto, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofto.


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Media contact: Media Relations, media@toronto.ca

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