ABOUT

My name is Nathan Olmstead. I am a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto and a Research Fellow at the Niagara Community Observatory. My interests include digital infrastructure, urban policy, and local government.

My most recent project investigates the meaning and value of real-time in the context of Canadian smart urbanism. More specifically, I explore what it might mean to exchange idealizations of the real-time city for the alternative temporalities of a so-called Spectral City. Alongside the NCO, I am also involved in research pertaining to regional innovation systems, economic development, and municipal policy.

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Originally from Northern Ontario, I have worked as a consultant and advocate on projects related to environmental sustainability, responsible technology, affordable housing, and animal welfare. My work has been published in reputable journals such as Philosophy & Technology, Urban Studies, and Political Theology, and includes several public reports at the forefront of policy conversations across Canada.