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to medium in maturity levels, whereas 40% define their organization's mobility strat-
egy as weak (Roy, 2014b). In a public sector grounded in traditional work cultures and
legacy infrastructures and underinvesting worldwide in mobile relative to most other
industries, such findings undoubtedly find resonance (Roy, 2014b). The government
is deeply conflicted between traditional democratic and administrative structures and
more Gov 2.0-stylized governance associated with mobile (Roy, 2013, 2014a).
Further societal complexities are also apparent with ramifications for government
service delivery. Although the trends presented above lend credence to the importance
of mobility for government performance and legitimacy, they likewise underscore
stark cleavages and corresponding challenges. Nearly one half of the population, for
example, does not presently own a mobile device, and almost all public sector ser-
vice providers in Canada continue to struggle with a fragmented citizenry in terms
of comfort levels and preferences with online channels (both traditional, i.e., PC
based, and mobile). Accordingly, with the exception of a small number of countries
where digital ubiquity is at the very least viewed as an attainable objective (such as
Scandinavian nations that regularly top global digital government surveys and now
likewise lead in mobile penetration rates), various studies and audits in Canada and
elsewhere reveal a highly uneven trajectory in terms of uptake of online service deliv-
ery and a persisting set of fault lines with respect to Internet and technological usage
(Auditor General of Canada, 2013; Auditor General of Ontario, 2013). Online and
now mobile banking trends in Canada are similar in many respects.*
Within such a context, the aim of this chapter is to examine the relationship
between mobility, Gov 2.0, and digital inclusion. By digital inclusion, we refer
not only to Internet access (via traditional desktop or mobile channels) but also an
expansion of developmental opportunities for a widening proportion of the popu-
lace within a given jurisdiction (thereby reducing what has been commonly referred
to as the digital divide). As some jurisdictions such as Great Britain and Denmark
explicitly target digital inclusiveness, this chapter critically examines the Canadian
context in this comparative light. Nonetheless, we specifically examine the Province
of Ontario, which has been home to several interrelated and relevant initiatives
in this regard, including: (a) a recent Provincial Auditor General examination of
ServiceOntario, the lead entity responsible for online and integrated service deliv-
ery for the Province; (b) an external review panel of provincial social assistance
policies and governance arrangements; and (c) a major external research study in
the academic sector (supported by, but separate from, the Province), focusing on the
impacts of mobile technologies on all segments of Ontario (including government,
industry, and society at large). Taken together, these three elements provide a useful
case study to better understand if and how digital inclusion is likely to be addressed
*
In 2013, 70% of Canadians owning a smart phone reportedly used financial apps. For a
wider review of the survey findings please see: https://newsroom.bmo.com/press-releases/bmo
-mobile-banking-survey-70-per-cent-of-canadian-tsx-bmo-201309170898511001.
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