Telecommunications have become an integral part of human life - from reliable cell phone connections, data transmissions at home or on the go, and high-speed internet for connectivity around the world - we have become reliant on always-on, but seamlessly invisible, communication pathways for our day-to-day lives. But the infrastructure to make these connections so commonplace is actually quite complex. From network backbones that support the connections to the consumers, to data centers, routers, switches, cell towers, and satellites there is a lot that goes into making it all work, and it has a cost to our communities, land, and ecosystems as built. Good and reliable telecommunications infrastructure is heavily influential on city development, but urban developers go through great lengths to make these infrastructure needs invisible (think about the classic example of the cell tower disguised as a tree). In trying too hard to blend in, more often than not the presence is taken for granted and displaces the need for key discourse, decisions, and understanding impacts on communities. This includes our reliance on non-Earth based telecommunication systems - it’s so commonplace, you may not even realize how often you interact with space technology on the daily!

Improved communications can be a catalyst for urban sprawl and gentrification - enabling people to live and work further from city centers. For some, this offers access and freedom, for others, often the already marginalized, it is creating a bigger and bigger digital divide and disconnect between backgrounds and communities. Urban sprawl is also having lasting impacts on the ecology, land utilization, and biodiversity as human impacts continue to expand beyond concentrated city hubs.

In an effort to bring to light the impact technology and communications have on human development, the rise of a an interest in “smart cities” - a technologically modern urban area that is built specifically to integrate advanced communication technology, physical structures, human data, emerging sensor technology, and internet of things (IOT) to optimize city functions and promote economic growth  - has grown over the last decade. So much so that the Government of Canada created a “Smart Cities Challenge” in 2017 and awarded 4 winners prizes worth a total of $75M to implement their visions. In 2023, the Canadian federal budget allocated funds for a second round of the “Smart Cities Challenge”, but it begs questions as to the impact and implications of smart city development.

This track will use satellite data to explore complex telecommunication and technology infrastructures, city developments in the rise of technology, and track impacts these have on urban and rural communities. The project will focus first on the 4 cities who received awards from the Canadian challenge. We will explore the impact of emerging smart cities. If we are transparent and purposeful about the impacts and development of smart cities, can we use it to bring communities closer together instead of widening the digital divide? And what decisions and data should be available and shared in order to ensure equitable access to reliable telecommunications that is rapidly becoming a basic human need?