Digital transformation is redefining the delivery of public and private services on a global scale, offering significant economic opportunities while posing cybersecurity challenges. In Quebec, the rollout of 5G is improving connectivity and supporting innovation, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is integrating digitalization into its public infrastructure via initiatives such as Smart Government. This article examines these efforts, their economic benefits, as well as the risks associated with them.
Quebec is a key player in the rollout of 5G in Canada, supported by major operators such as Bell, Rogers, Telus and Videotron, as well as suppliers like Ericsson and IBM. By 2025, 5G coverage is expanding, with initiatives such as Telus' $9.6 million investment to build 20 new towers in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, complemented by government contributions of $2.7 million from Quebec and $2.2 million from the CRTC (Kearney, 2024). According to the CRTC's 2025 report, 5G networks are available to 93% of the Canadian population (Government of Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), 2025). In Quebec, with its major urban centers like Montreal and Quebec City, coverage is likely to be comparable or better, although specific data for the province is not publicly available.
5G offers increased capacity (up to 1 million devices per km² versus 100,000 for 4G), speeds up to 20 times faster than 4G LTE, and reduced latency, facilitating applications such as telemedicine, autonomous vehicles and intelligent city management. It improves energy efficiency and supports rural connectivity, reducing the digital divide (Ericsson, 2021).
In the public sector, 5G enables real-time data transmission for emergency services, telemedicine and traffic management. For example, it facilitates remote medical consultations, improving access to care in remote areas. In the private sector, by 2021, 5G was already boosting productivity and innovation, notably through programs like ENCQOR, which is engaging 565 SMEs in 5G solutions, creating 1,800 jobs and 400 internships (ENCQOR 5G, 2021).
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in particular Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are positioning themselves as global leaders in digital transformation, integrating digitalization into public infrastructure to improve service delivery and ensure digital resilience. The Smart Government initiative, launched in 2013 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aims to provide 24/7 access to government services, making them faster, user-centric and accessible via digital and mobile platforms (UAE's Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, n.d.).
The National Digital Government Strategy 2025 aspires to full digital maturity for all government entities, aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on inclusion, resilience and innovation (The UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025, 2023).
Several projects illustrate the integration of digitalization into public infrastructures:
- UAEPASS: A unified digital identity providing secure access to all government services, facilitating transactions and enhancing security (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, 2022).
- Dubai Paperless Strategy: Launched to digitize all processes by 2021, it has eliminated over a billion sheets of paper, saving 1.3 billion dirhams (around US$350 million) and 14 million man-hours (Government of Dubai, n.d.-a).
- DubaiNow application: Offers over 55 intelligent services, from bill payment to license management, improving access and user satisfaction (Government of Dubai, n.d.-b).
- Abu Dhabi Effortless Customer Experience Strategy: Announced in February 2025, this initiative, led by the Department of Government Empowerment (DGE), aims to redefine public services by using cutting-edge technologies to deliver proactive, citizen-centric services. It builds on Abu Dhabi's Effortless Customer Experience Program (2022), having already eliminated around 400,000 visits to service centers, reduced service steps by 23%, required fields by 36% and customer queries by 64% (Department of Government Enablement, 2025).
Digitization affects various sectors of public infrastructure, including :
- Transportation: Intelligent applications manage traffic and optimize public transport, such as digital ticketing systems and car-sharing platforms (AI In Transportation, 2024).
- Health: Telemedicine services and digital medical records improve access to care and hospital efficiency (Cheriyan, 2024).
- Education: e-learning platforms and digital tools support distance and continuing education (The Digital School, 2024).
- Urban planning: smart city initiatives, such as those supported by Dubai's AI Lab, use IoT and AI to optimize urban planning and municipal services (Smart Sustainable Cities, 2024).
The 2019 National Cybersecurity Strategy is based on five pillars: combating cybercrime, securing emerging technologies, protecting SMEs, developing skills (training 40,000 professionals), and raising public awareness. The critical infrastructure protection program covers nine sectors, including energy and transport, with risk management standards (TDRA, 2019).
In Quebec, 5G is improving access to online education and emergency services, strengthening community resilience. In the UAE, applications such as Abu Dhabi City Guard and DubaiNow increase citizen participation and user satisfaction, with a target of 90% satisfaction by 2025 (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, 2022).
In Quebec, investments in 5G optimize processes, reducing operational costs. In the UAE, the paperless strategy has saved 1.3 billion dirhams and 14 million working hours, while the Dubai Chamber of Commerce has saved 11 million dirhams thanks to digitization (Government of Dubai, n.d.-a).
In Quebec, 5G is expected to contribute more than $4 billion a year by 2030, or around 1% of Quebec's annual nominal GDP (Secrétariat à l'Internet haute vitesse et aux projets spéciaux de connectivité, 2022). In the UAE, the digital economy is projected at $320 billion by 2031, with AI contributing 14% of GDP by 2030 (Reuters, 2024).
In Quebec, the increase in online services increases the risk of data breaches, which can erode user confidence (Sivesind, 2025). In the UAE, personal data protection is crucial, with breach costs among the highest in the world (UAE Cyber Security Council and CPX Unveil Cybersecurity Report 2025, 2025).
In Quebec, ransomware targets critical sectors, such as healthcare, with one incident in 2024 disrupting a major hospital network (Sivesind, 2025). In the UAE, more than 223,800 assets are exposed, with 50% of critical vulnerabilities unpatched for more than five years (UAE Cyber Security Council and CPX Unveil Cybersecurity Report 2025, 2025).
In Quebec, the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity strengthens critical infrastructure defenses, but the shortage of 25,000 cybersecurity professionals poses a challenge (Canada, 2024). In the UAE, the CIIP program protects nine sectors, but configuration errors (32% of incidents) remain a problem (UAE Cyber Security Council and CPX Unveil Cybersecurity Report 2025, 2025).