PLATFORM - Against the OCP (Official Community Plan) / Smart Cities / Donut Economics

Expert Debate : Is Nanaimo Becoming a Smart City In the best Interest Of Its Residents?

• To its Credit, the previous Council did engage in a 3 Phase consultation process with Nanaimo Residents before passing the Official Community Plan (OCP)
• The issue is that only a fraction of the Residents actually provided feedback. It is hard to get a firm figure on individual, verified feedback on the different phases of the plan, but it was still only a relatively small percentage of the population
• For such a serious decision, that significantly impacts the planning of the City and the impact on Nanaimo Tax Payers, Experts should have been invited and the public had the benefit of a proper debate, with tough questions and rigorous defense of ideas
• Far too few Residents have any idea about the ENORMOUS impact on their lives the decision to make Nanaimo a Smart City will have

Cities of Surveillance : Sensors in Everything

• The central goal of Smart Cities is efficiency. But this is efficiency achieved through the massive collection of data from Sensors embedded in infrastructure throughout a City. Sensors on Traffic Lights, Street Lamps, Garbage Cans, Park Benches, Buildings.
• All of these Sensors will be collecting data constantly with the goal of making sure that all aspects of the City are operating with greater efficiency
• But, Smart Cities will also encourage Citizens to wear Smart Devices. Citizens will regularly be giving feedback to the Smart City. Heart beat. Temperature. Eventually, the goal is for Smart Cities to be able to measure Citizens mood with Sensors. Eventually Citizens will be encouraged to have Sensors implanted inside their own bodies.