Sidewalk Labs

Sidewalk Labs company — the "subsidiary" of the American IT giant Alphabet specializing in the innovative development of the cities.

2020: The project of "the smart city" is cancelled by Google in Toronto

The Sidewalk Labs company — the "subsidiary" of the American IT giant Alphabet specializing in the innovative development of the cities — refused construction in Toronto of the "smart" area of Quayside. It is said in the statement of May, 2020 of its CEO Daniel Doktoroff.

"the unprecedented uncertainty which covered world economy and the real estate market of Toronto" became the reason of canceling of the project. So, according to Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, in April sales of housing in the largest city of Canada in comparison with the same month 2019 dropped by 67%.

Despite the made decision, Sidewalk Labs will continue researches on improvement of the urban environment, Doktoroff assured. "It is sure that the ideas on which we worked the last two and a half years will make a noticeable contribution to the solution of key problems of the modern cities, especially those which are connected with availability of housing and sustainable development" — the top manager of the company noted.

• The Quayside project was announced in 2017 and initially assumed building of 77 hectares on the bank of Lake Ontario.
• In November, 2019 the authorities of Toronto reduced its area to 5 hectares. It was reported that the discontent of the locals concerned by plans of the company for collecting and use of personal data became the reason of adjustment.

Sidewalk Labs submitted the 196-page document containing the large-scale ideas of the company concerning future appearance of the new area including high-speed ferries, parks which can be adapted to seasons, and robotic garbage trucks. For passenger traffic it is supposed to use self-driving taxi and buses instead of the individual transport, and bicycle tracks will be warmed.

Everywhere there will be a set of sensors and cameras for collection of information about flows of pedestrians and vehicles, pollution and a status of infrastructure. Drones will be able to deliver freights, for them will lay underground routes.

Main article: Smart cities