City assessment
How smart is Ottawa?
Ottawa scores 66% against the ISO 37120-series aligned smart city framework in 2026, ranked #152 of 386 by smart reach and #188 on the evidence alone, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Each criterion counts in full where the evidence shows it present, half where partial and nothing where absent, weighted by its category. 12 of 86 are not yet assessed and count as nothing until a finding is made either way. Last assessed 24 Oct 2026.
Smart reach rank
#152 / 386
Smart score
66%
Evidenced rank
#188 / 387
Criteria present
39 / 86
Evidence coverage
86%
Ottawa's smart city score by area
7 present · 8 partial · 0 absent
5 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 2 not yet assessed
9 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 1 not yet assessed
3 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 5 not yet assessed
8 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 1 not yet assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 0 absent
1 present · 10 partial · 0 absent · 3 not yet assessed
Where Ottawa is strong
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Health & Digital Health
- ▸Inclusion & Civic Participation
- ▸Culture, Tourism & Recreation
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
Where the evidence shows gaps
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model · 4 partial
- ▸Digital Government Services · 3 partial
- ▸Active & Shared Mobility · 3 partial
- ▸Public Safety & Emergency · 3 partial
- ▸Disaster Risk & Resilience · 3 partial
Not yet assessed
12 of 86 criteria have no finding yet, either way. They count as nothing in the score until one is made, and they are not gaps.
- Water & Sanitation3 of 4
- Smart Traffic & Electric Vehicles2 of 4
- Climate Adaptation & Heat1 of 3
- Critical Infrastructure Resilience1 of 3
- Disaster Risk & Resilience1 of 4
- Education & Digital Skills1 of 3
- Energy & Smart Grid1 of 4
- Housing & Urban Planning1 of 3
- Solid Waste & Circular Economy1 of 4
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 ISO 37120-series aligned smart city framework on 24 Oct 2026 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, or left not yet assessed, and every finding links to where it was found. Cities are re-assessed in runs, not continuously: the latest finished on 24 Oct 2026.