Some politicians and business leaders are unhappy about the Alphabet-backed project that is expected to bring affordable housing to residents. They called out for consideration of the debated Sidewalk Labs project in Toronto.
According to CTV News Canada, some of Canada's top business leaders and politicians have called out for further consideration of Sidewalk Labs. City Councilor Gord Perks said of the matter, "The three governments who are involved should halt the process with Google and go to the public and say we have an area of land as big as the downtown, what would you like to do?"
Perks has long been questioning the project that is set to rise within Toronot's waterfront called Quayside. The political leader noted that the Google-partnership project could have data privacy issues as well as transparency problems that involve transportation and solid waste.
Aside from questioning why Sidewalk Labs is not as transparent as it should be, Perks said he will not waste time on the project. He added that the government and interested groups should instead move forward with other projects that will work with transparency.
A government source from Ontario who requested anonymity also told Canadian media that Sidewalk Labs was "concerning," adding that the government will not sign the proposed plan.
For the business sector, Co-founder of advocacy group Tech Reset Canada, Bianca Wylie called for the project's complete cancelation. Like other politicians and business experts, Wylie believes there was not enough transparency during the process.
Developer Julie Di Lorenzo, who once worked from the Waterfront Toronto but resigned after learning about the leaked details of the Sidewalk Labs project, echoed the sentiments of politicians and business leaders. She pointed out that "Every time Sidewalk shows us a map, the land area they 'need' gets bigger."
If the project pushes through, it is expected to bring autonomous vehicle infrastructure, raincoated buildings, and heated sidewalks in the Quayside area. The working group has also clarified plans for the waterfront following multiple calls for cancelation.
According to The Financial Post, Sidewalk Labs said the plan is to focus on financing the infrastructure needed to build the smart city prototype. The team also explained that it is not planning to develop the entire waterfront, contrary to previous claims.
Sidewalk Labs Head of Policy and Communications, Micah Lasher stressed that the leaked plans haven't been officially green-lighted by Alphabet Inc. The publicized ideas are still in progress and still need approval.
