The City of Toronto’s ConnectTO program is developing an expanded Wi-Fi Strategy, as directed by City Council, that aims to increase free public Wi-Fi access for Toronto residents and visitors.
Free public Wi-Fi refers to wireless internet provided by the City in City-owned and operated buildings. The City currently offers free public Wi-Fi at more than 100 locations across Toronto through its ConnectTO Program. To date, locations have been selected and prioritized based on equity-first criteria and research findings related to Toronto’s digital divide.
One of the ways the City is working towards a digitally equitable Toronto is by offering free Wi-Fi in publicly accessible spaces owned or operated by the City to ensure connectivity for Torontonians most in need.
The digital divide refers to the gap that exists between those who have affordable internet access and the skills to use modern information and communication technology and those who do not.
While internet speed, affordability, quality, and household access to internet-enabled devices are important factors that help understand why certain populations do not have access to the internet, socioeconomic factors of income, age, and race are also important factors that help explain the digital divide. Source: Mapping Toronto’s Digital Divide
The City’s expanded free public Wi-Fi strategy outlines a proposed framework and actions to increase the number of places offering free Wi-Fi and to enhance the experience of getting online throughout Toronto.
The strategy will outline immediate actions that the City and our City divisional partners can implement and guide long-term planning directions and decisions for future recommended actions.
As part of the Expanded Free Public Wi-Fi Strategy, some of the proposed actions that the City is considering include but are not limited to:
We worked with engagement experts and practitioners across the City to develop our consultation approach and questions to best reflect the voices of those with lived experiences in the digital divide. We are incorporating best practices to gather direct feedback from key stakeholders including internal City partners and organizations, community members, and Council Advisory Bodies.
We held one-on-one discussions with various City divisions, agencies, and corporations who share similar goals and strategies related to connectivity across Toronto.
From April through July 2024, we are engaging with community organizations and anti-poverty groups with lived experience in the digital divide to understand their unique challenges, uncover additional opportunities to help alleviate challenges, and to seek feedback on how the City thinks about free public Wi-Fi.
Between the months of April and June 2024, input was be collected from the following audiences through a short survey:
Physical copies of the survey were available upon request. We welcome your continued feedback:
The City conducted public consultations to inform an expanded Free Public Wi-Fi Strategy. In-person and online public consultations were held throughout May and June 2024. The goal of these public consultations was to answer several key questions including:
Learn more about how to participate in City of Toronto virtual public consultations.