For 2006 the following municipal initiatives are in the planning and/or development stages.

Wi-Fi access

Free wireless access for the public is already available through the public library, as a result of a partnership between the City of Waterloo, the library and a private telecommunications service provider.  The extension of the wireless service has been confirmed for businesses and individuals within the central business district of the City and was up and running in October, 2005.

Webcast City Council meetings

This multi-phase project will provide citizens, who are unable or unwilling to attend weekly Council meetings, the opportunity to actively participate through the use of common technology.  Phase 1 provides real time audio broadcasting of the Council meeting via the Internet, and was implemented in December 2005.  Phase 2 will provide real time video of the Council meeting so that the viewer can also see all of the material that is being presented to Council.  Phase 3 will provide a vehicle whereby viewers may submit online questions to Council for discussion during question and answer periods.  Phase 2 and 3 are scheduled for implementation in June 2006 and December 2006, respectively.

E-learning tips for staff and public

This will provide a virtual e-Learning resources (Hints and Tips, and Frequently Asked Questions) for some of the most commonly used software applications.

"My Waterloo"

Citizens can choose from a wide array of city information and services they have an interest in.  Each "My Waterloo" space is fully customizable, providing the user with the opportunity to display their choices in a meaningful manner.  "My Waterloo" will additionally provide the opportunity to link to external information.

Electronic payment services

This service will allow individuals the ability to conduct selected business transactions with the city online via the Internet and by telephone.  Services that are already in place include the ability to register and pay online for lessons or programs; payment of property taxes via bank by phone and financial institution bill payment options on the Internet; and payment of parking tickets.

Online surveys/polls

As of March 2005, online surveys and polls provide residents with the opportunity to participate in, and comment on, municipal happenings and issues.  Individuals who are unable or unwilling to attend a meeting are still able to offer their opinion and comments about topical municipal events in a timely manner.  Staff receives public input from a wider cross section of the public than typically afforded by a mailing list.

Building Community Capacity Using Broadband: Community Learning Spaces

A local research group, the Computer Systems Group, has been active in building community capacity through the use of new technologies.

The Group has developed The Rural Switchboard portal, which is one of a number of their "Community Learning Spaces". The Switchboard provides information related to business, tourism, arts and culture to the rural communities in Waterloo Region.

The Rapid Visualization Environment for Health Data is a local experimental project that incorporates maps and databases that can be used to visualize and better understand the administrative functionality of the provincial health care system. A complementary project is the Health Informatics Competencies learning space, which is used by individuals who are interested in the field of health informatics to assess competencies.

The Computer Systems Group is involved in several other public access, capacity-building projects using new technologies, including large-scale environmental projects with groups in Ontario, and work with the Canadian International Development Agency and the United Nations on environmental and public health-related projects in the developing world, and population, health and lifestyle change.

MyWaterlooRegion.com

A forum for discussion of local issues and politics has been established through the volunteer citizen-based mywaterlooregion.com. The site is a clearinghouse for on-line discussion and the sharing of expertise concerning neighbourhood issues such as traffic studies, development proposals, education and local elections. The site is a focal point for discussions by the Waterloo Community Council (WCC), a group representing many of the neighbourhood associations located in the City of Waterloo.

The goal of the WCC is to share resources and expertise, and to speak with a common voice to the community and government on local issues. Using broadband technology, the WCC provides the smallest neighbourhood association in Waterloo with a mechanism to make its needs known, and a forum for broad-based community discussion and the sharing of opinions.

Grand River Hospital (GRH)

Grand River Hospital is one of three hospitals serving Waterloo Region.  GRH has launched North America's first comprehensive patient portal that provides individual patients with Web access to their treatment plan, their schedule (and the ability to change their schedule), the tracking of symptoms and side affects, their care team, their diary and specific educational resources concerning their illness. In the future, the portal will hold the patient's electronic records. 

The goal of the patient portal is to empower patients to become a central member of the health care team, beginning the personalization of health care. The current focus is on cancer with plans to expand to renal patients, diabetic patients, stroke patients and others.