TORONTO – The Writer’s Trust of Canada has named freelance journalist John Lorinc this year’s Balsillie Prize for Public Policy winner for his book on the future of city building.
The annual award, endorsed by former BlackBerry CEO Jim Balsillie, honors the best non-fiction book that shapes Canadian discourse on political issues.
Lorinc received the $60,000 honor at a private dinner in Toronto on Tuesday for “Dream States: Smart Cities, Technology, and the Pursuit of Urban Utopias,” published by Coach House Books.
The book unveils the promise of technology-powered smart cities, examining cases from around the world.
In their citation, the jury said the Toronto writer “provides a framework for thinking about the future of urban life” in a pandemic-altered world that is in the midst of a climate crisis.
Finalists, each receiving $5,000, include: “The Last Doctor: Lessons in Living from the Front Lines of Medical Assistance in Dying,” co-authored by Dr. Jean Marmoreo and Johanna Schneller, published by Viking Canada; “Canadian Policing: Why and How It Must Change” by Kent Roach, published by Delve Books; “Reconciling Truths: Reimagining Public Inquiries in Canada,” by Kim Stanton, published by UBC Press; and “How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going,” by Vaclav Smil, published by Viking.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on November 29, 2022.
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