A smart, essential look at how technology is shaping the world of impact, from the Future of Good editorial team.
Despite comprising about 3.5 percent of Canada’s population, Black employees are only 2.6 percent of the tech sector’s workforce. Systemic racism in education, industry hiring, and access to capital are all part of the problem, but an incubator focused on holistically supporting Black professionals could make improvements.
Organizations that fail to respond to feedback from the communities they serve will fail to adapt. In the midst of COVID-19, many organizations are using technology to reach their communities and gather feedback, in order to respond and keep pace with the support they need.
Few digital equity organizations are primarily aimed at Indigenous communities, and many live with poor or no access to reliable high-speed internet. The First Nations Technology Council not only works on improving access, but also training Indigenous technologists for the tech sector and beyond.
COVID-19 has exposed just how important an internet connection is to people’s lives, but the funding ecosystem for digital access projects is in its infancy. The digital divide remains stubbornly wide: in rural communities, just four in 10 Canadians have access to high-speed internet. If philanthropists want to help close the gap, digital philanthropy will have to grow exponentially in Canada.
COVID-19 has exposed the depth of Canada’s digital divide, but major telecom companies lack the incentives to reach remote communities and vulnerable populations. Without more locally-driven solutions, digital equity advocates say millions of Canadians will continue to lack the “basic right” to a reliable internet connection.