The City’s Digital Strategy
What is the Digital Strategy?
The City of Calgary’s Digital Strategy is based on:
- The work of a citizen advisory group called the eGovernment Strategy Advisory Committee
- Trends pulled from other municipalities
- Direction from City subject-matter experts
The Digital Strategy aims to improve digital access to The City’s services. This strategy serves as a long-term plan for how The City can leverage digital platforms to connect, communicate and engage with each other, with citizens and with other levels of government.
The Digital Strategy covers 2015 to 2018, with influence that will go beyond that timeframe. The strategy aims to be a responsive plan with ongoing engagement over the next five years, providing opportunities for citizens, interested parties and staff to evaluate and improve the strategy and its projects.
View Digital Strategy overview (PDF, 1 MB)
View full Digital Strategy report (PDF, 10 MB)
What are the Digital Strategy’s major objectives?
We have accessible services
A commitment to an online service is also an obligation to understand the customer and provide a useful interaction. Online services commit The City to purchasing, maintaining and regularly updating the systems that power those services and channels.
We pursue and build partnerships
Pursuing partnerships includes collaboration within our own organization, as well as seeking organizations locally and abroad, who can further our cause of improving government services and community participation through technology.
We are transparent
Public decision-making should be an open and inclusive process where citizens can access public information to participate in government. Transparency isn’t just releasing information. In order to be transparent, The City has the responsibility to accurately collect information, securely store data and safeguard any confidential material.
We provide and support platforms for citizens to participate
Government participation is both a freedom and a choice. Public participation in government requires public forums, the opportunity to participate, as well as the innovative use of technology to advance two-way communications and discussions.
We value innovation
At the heart of technological innovation is disruption. The path to change at The City includes putting the customer first and accepting disruption in order for innovation to occur. Innovation is needed to keep pace with private industry, to lower costs and to build partnerships with other organizations and within our own.
Timelines
Development of the Digital Strategy
- January 2013 – eGovernment committee met for the first time.
- December 2013 – The eGovenment Committee presented a formal report and recommendation to the Standing Policy Committee to develop a digital strategy.
- January 2014 – Internal working group formed.
- February/March 2014 – eGovernment Committee and work groups drafted mission, themes and goals.
- April 2014 – eGovernment Committee, the extended network and Calgarians gave input on the draft.
- May 2014 – eGovernment committee reviewed Digital Strategy.
- June 2014 – City Administration reviewed Digital Strategy.
- June 2014 – Council sub-committee reviewed Digital Strategy.
- July 2014 – Council approved the Digital Strategy.
- October 2014 - Council made appointments for the eGovernment Committee for another two year term.
- December 2014 – The Digital Strategy budget was approved.
Citizen engagement and feedback
Find out how citizens were engaged for the Digital Strategy, the public feedback on the strategy’s first draft and The City’s summary of this feedback.
Report back - First draft feedback form (PDF, 2 MB)
Digital Strategy Writing Phase – engagement summary report (PDF, 525 KB)
For more information about the Digital Strategy, please complete an online service request, or call 3-1-1.