// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Ottawa?
Ottawa scores 62.9% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #136 of 388 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
62.9%
Rank
#136 / 388
Criteria present
36 / 86
Evidence coverage
83.7%
Ottawa's smart city score by area
7 present · 8 partial · 0 absent
5 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 2 not assessed
7 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
3 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 5 not assessed
7 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 0 absent
1 present · 8 partial · 0 absent · 5 not assessed
Where Ottawa is strong
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Health & Digital Health
- ▸Inclusion & Civic Participation
- ▸Culture, Tourism & Recreation
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
Where the gaps are
- ▸Water & Sanitation
- ▸Disaster Risk & Resilience
- ▸Critical Infrastructure Resilience
- ▸Climate Adaptation & Heat
- ▸Smart Traffic & Electric Vehicles
Evidence highlights
Digital Government Services · Online payments for taxes & fees
Hydro Ottawa's website explicitly states that users can 'View and pay your bill' online, indicating that utility bills are payable online.
https://hydroottawa.com/Public Transport & Real-Time Information · Public transport network
OC Transpo operates an O-Train network with three lines and over 200 bus routes in Ottawa, operating 24/7, as detailed on their 'Our services' page.
https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/Public Transport & Real-Time Information · Real-time arrivals (GTFS-RT)
OC Transpo provides real-time information for next departures, explicitly stating 'Temps réel' (Real-time) on its French site and 'Real-time information to help you on your way' on its English site.
https://open.ottawa.ca/datasets/oc-transpo-live-next-bus-arrival-data-feed-apiPublic Transport & Real-Time Information · Integrated / contactless ticketing
Ottawa uses PRESTO, an electronic fare payment system that allows cashless travel, offers various ways to pay, and supports tapping with debit or credit, as described on the PRESTO website.
https://www.prestocard.ca/enAbout this assessment
Ottawa was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-09-03 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.