Sidewalk Labs, a Google-affiliated company, is abandoning its plan to build a high-tech neighbourhood on Toronto's waterfront, citing what it calls unprecedented economic uncertainty. Toronto citizens and civic leaders had raised concerns about the privacy implications of the project and how much of the city's developing waterfront Sidewalk Labs wanted to control. "Waterfront Toronto never had the jurisdiction to sign off on a data surveillance test bed with a Google sibling. "Legitimate concerns were raised regarding Sidewalk Labs' proposals, including concerns over data collection and digital governance." "While this does mean that Waterfront Toronto will start again to reimagine Quayside, none of this work will go to waste," he said.

Source: CBC News May 07, 2020 14:31 UTC