The legal group said government actions in support of the smart-city development “are unconstitutional,” in a letter sent Tuesday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor John Tory. The CCLA asked for a “reset” of the project to forestall litigation. (Canadian Press)

Talking point: This is an atypical move for the CCLA, which often files legal challenges, but rarely writes open letters to heads of government. The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association has done most of the heavy lifting on digital privacy issues for the past few years. However, Michael Bryant, the new executive director of the CCLA, is adept at getting media attention; an open letter may be a more effective vehicle than a court filing. This is the latest challenge for Sidewalk Labs, which has faced a steady stream of controversy over the past few months, including several city councillors raising concerns about the project. Last week, a group of activists launched a campaign called #BlockSidewalk and circulated a petition calling for the project to be halted. Meanwhile, Sidewalk Labs continues to lobby all three levels of government. In Toronto, the company was responsible for almost a third of all lobbying activity at City Hall in February, according to City Hall Watcher.