SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sydney

In her introduction to the framework, Lord Mayor Moore said “we have developed a shared vision for the future of technology and our city. We see digital technology as a tool to support our diverse community to address pressing challenges and unlock new opportunities”

Greater Sydney’s population is forecast to grow to about eight million by 2050. Community and business leaders recognise – with almost half the population living in Sydney’s western suburbs – it is time for a rebalancing of economic and social opportunities and a more equitable distribution of services and quality of life.

In a major step toward this rebalancing, the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) was established in 2016 to lead the strategic planning process for the Greater Sydney area. In its first year of operation, the GSC created a 40-year vision for the city’s evolution. Two years later, the GSC published its Greater Sydney Region Plan: A Metropolis of Three Cities, proposing a transformed metropolitan region where “most residents live within 30 minutes of their jobs, education and health facilities, services and great places”.

City Challenges:

• Sydney has a shortfall of more than 80,000 social housing dwellings and 55,000 affordable rental homes.
• Disadvantaged neighbourhoods, joblessness and public transport weakness in Western Sydney are among Sydney’s most persistent socio-economic issues.
• Sydney is working to increase digital inclusion – especially in light of the pandemic-driven impact on digitally excluded residents.

Find out more about how Sydney is tackling these issues and an in-depth look at its smart city strategy in this 18 page report.