Why Google’s Toronto Smart City Failed w/ Josh O'Kane

Paris Marx is joined by Josh O’Kane to discuss how Sidewalk Labs decided to build a city “from the internet up” in Toronto, the concerns that existed with the project, and why it ultimately fell apart.

Josh O’Kane is an award-winning technology reporter at the Globe and Mail and the author of Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy. Follow Josh on Twitter at @joshokane.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham and part of the Harbinger Media Network.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• An excerpt of Josh’s book was published in the Globe and Mail • . • Josh wrote • about how Canada’s Liberal government under Justin Trudeau isn’t as friendly with tech companies as it was earlier in its time in power. • Around the time of Sidewalk Toronto, opponents were able to defeat Amazon’s HQ2 • project in New York, Google’s Berlin startup hub • , Apple’s planned central Stockholm store • , and its planned store in Melbourne’s Fed Square • . • Bianca Wylie was one of the prominent critics of the project, and was called • the “Jane Jacobs of the smart city.” • In 2019, documents leaked • showing Sidewalk Labs wanted a lot more power and access to more land than was agreed upon, and that further fueled opposition. • In May 2020, Wylie wrote • about the cancelation of the project and the lessons that should be learned.

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