A ”Smart City” adds color to existing shadows (Une ville intelligente pour se redonner des couleurs)
by René Vézina. Les Affaires. 06-07-2013 (modified on 04-07-2013 at 09:59)
In Barcelona restaurants, waiters and waitresses take your orders on a touchscreen tablet then send the information directly to the kitchen.
This is a very efficient way to work. The risk for errors is reduced, less time is consumed going back and forth, more quality time is allocated to customers and better management of stock is achieved.
Talk about a smart city!
Montreal likes to compare itself with Barcelona, whose economy remains stable in spite of the destitution affecting Spain as a whole. The creative concept of a trendy « smart city » is seen here, but one day, we will have to look beyond the scope of long discussions and broaden our horizons. For example, it’s nice to have an application that allows us to pay the parking meter at a distance using a cellular phone, but we want more!
« Maybe because in Canada, we tend to adopt a new technology after its success has been proven, whereas somewhere else, this new technology is often part of the solution since the start », says Carl Robillard, from Stratevo Conseil, a Montreal-based firm which specializes in the merging of strategy and technology. He’s the one who told me the story about Barcelona, and like several others, he wonders what could quickly be done so that the city can obtain the trendy profile it so desires.
« Yes but we can’t limit ourselves to technology, this wouldn’t be enough, we need to focus on Montreal’s other strengths. It’s a city of knowledge and creativity and a city that motivates its citizens to commit », says Laurent Simon, co-director of the Mosaic group at « HEC Montréal ».
He knows Barcelona very well; in fact, he is leaving in a few days for the fifth edition of the Summer School on Creativity, a program proposed by HEC Montréal and the University of Barcelona. Close to 80 Quebecers will have the opportunity to experience and learn from the creativity of the Catalan customs and hopefully put them into practice once back home.
« The goal is not to inspire ourselves directly from the Barcelonan culture even if we have numerous similarities such as history and identity », says Laurent Simon. We have to start with what we’ve got. »
Even though Montreal is stuck in a climate of suspicion, we tend to forget about its assets; Montreal has the second highest proportion of university students in North America (after Boston), the second highest artistic population and networks of creative industry clusters, (aviation, communications, and health). Yes, Montreal is well-endowed.
« In order to achieve the status of « smart city », says Laurent Simon, « this will require citizen action and commitment. As for the leadership issue, it is far from being obvious considering the current context. »
At « Techno Montral », who’s partners are actively invested in developing technologies, the word is that we have to start somewhere and that the status of « smart city » would suit Montreal very well. By whichever means Montreal obtains this status, the mere fact of looking ahead will bring color to its grey past and brighten its outlook.
Paying for redemption
In some Arab societies, a crime can be redeemed by offering compensation to the family of the victim. It’s a way of erasing any wrong doing, and the given amount must be accepted by the wronged party. Why not use this formula here, such as in cases where engineering firms have robbed Quebecers?
No amnesty, but no firing squad either. Either solution is not recommended. The damage is real and prejudice has occurred. However, the engineering world was and remains closely associated to the emergence of Quebec as a modern society and it would be disastrous to see these companies collapse.
It is possible to establish the amount to be reimbursed. The parties concerned can figure out where to get the money, whether it is through lines of credit, legal proceedings against the leaders…It won’t be easy, but making the effort of paying for redemption is much better than a death sentence.
