On Monday October 21st, the ICF (Intelligent Community Forum) announced its 2014 “Smart 21”. The ICF selects 21 communities after an in-depth review of hundreds of submissions by towns, cities, and regions from across the world that demonstrate excellence in innovation, broadband adoption, and digital inclusion to positively affect economic and social conditions for all its stakeholders.
Canada always has provided numerous great submissions for the Intelligent Communities program, but for the first time 6 out of 21 semi-finalists are Canadian communities. Among the impressive global list – for which each community has undertaken equally impressive initiatives and programs that earn them the right to be ranked among the most intelligent in the world – we find Canada’s Kingston (ON), Montreal (QC), Parkland County (AB), Quebec City (QC), Toronto + Waterfront Toronto (ON), and Winnipeg (MB). Now one may wonder if Canada is doing something right, or if the Canadian communities are simply more diligent in submitting applications?
Smart21 of 2014
| Arlington County, Virginia | USA |
| Coffs Harbour, New South Wales | Australia |
| Columbus, Ohio | USA |
| Heraklion, Crete | Greece |
| Hsinchu City | Taiwan |
| Kingston, Ontario | Canada |
| Mitchell, South Dakota | USA |
| Montreal Metropolitan Area, Quebec | Canada |
| Nairobi County | Kenya |
| New Taipei City | Taiwan |
| Parkland County, Alberta | Canada |
| Prospect, South Australia | Australia |
| Quebec City, Quebec | Canada |
| Rio de Janeiro | Brazil |
| Sunshine Coast, Queensland | Australia |
| Taoyuan County | Taiwan |
| Toronto, Ontario | Canada |
| Walla Walla Washington | USA |
| Wanganui | New Zealand |
| Whittlesea, Victoria | Australia |
| Winnipeg | Canada |
The ICF video announcing this year’s Smart21 semi-finalists.
Maybe both. But the Canadian communities on the list have a lot going for them as it relates to their journey on becoming intelligent communities. From dynamic collaborative eco-systems whereby the community involves all its stakeholders to achieve the most ambitious goals; to the availability of ultra-high-speed broadband connectivity; to providing platforms of innovation that invites public sector and private sector to collaborate and pursue the best possible innovations with the greatest impact to the community. One other thing that they almost all have in common is that they are great partners with Cisco!
I intend to write a short blog post sharing my point-of-view on the Canadian submissions, but today wanted to briefly highlight Winnipeg (MB) – and namely its “true growth” effort to corral all the energy and excitement in the community to the collective betterment of all parties involved. A unique and sustainable approach is applied across all Winnipeg stakeholders (private sector, Universities, public sector led by Economic Development) that embeds the Intelligent Community context and thinking right in the DNA of the community. What Winnipeg will achieve is that its vision, projects, and initiatives all will be integrated and shared by all participants, even long after nominations and awards have been handed out. Only when leadership considers being a Smart and Connected Community a foundational component of a municipality (just as we build Master plans for infrastructure (roads, parks, and homes), so also should a municipality consider a Master plan for digital innovation) will we see true and meaningful applications of Intelligent Community concepts that will have a lasting impact on economic development, social sustainability, and environmental improvement.
Soon, the “Smart21” will get narrowed to the “Top7” most Intelligent Community finalists and then the #1 Intelligent Community will be celebrated in June 2014. We will closely follow this journey and continue to partner with Canadian communities to do our part in driving innovation and productivity in the Canadian landscape.
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