Smart City

A smart city is an interconnected community that leverages the smart use of technology to benefit its citizens, businesses and service organizations for economic growth, social benefits, and environmental sustainability. Through the innovative use of technology and data, Coquitlam works to create safe public spaces and improve how our community:

  • Moves around
  • Lives and plays
  • Works and learns
  • Participates in society
  • Interacts with nature

Coquitlam Initiatives

Some examples of how Coquitlam uses technology to enhance community life and City services:


  1. Smart21 Community
  2. Technology Road Map
  3. Road Map Strategies

Coquitlam has been named one of the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2023 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). The Smart21 Communities are chosen by ICF based on quantitative and qualitative data in six key areas: connect, sustain, include, engage, innovate and work.

Smart communities demonstrate innovation in using technology and data to create safe public spaces and improve how their citizens move around, live and play, work and learn, participate in society, and interact with nature.

Coquitlam is the only community in B.C and one of only six Canadian municipalities to be named a Smart21 Community in 2023. Coquitlam was previously recognized by the ICF in 2021.

Keys Areas of Work

Smart21 cities have applied the ICF principles to build inclusive economic prosperity, social health and cultural richness, which together make a community strong and resilient.

Coquitlam’s efforts to be a ‘smart’ community focus on technology solutions that increase community awareness of City programs and services, improve resident experiences, transform outdated processes and foster civic engagement.

Some of the specific initiatives highlighted in Coquitlam’s Smart21 submission include:

  • QNet as a way of enabling high speed, low cost broadband coverage in high-density housing and commercial operations.
  • A Digital Strategy that fosters innovation and collaboration, while guiding how the City chooses and uses technology to improve business functions.
  • A Community Engagement Framework, Viewpoint public engagement panel and Let’s Talk Coquitlam engagement portal that look to the principles of inclusion and accessibility to facilitate community engagement on City issues, plans and services.
  • Coquitlam’s Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability initiatives which reflect the City’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change to maintain sustainable service delivery to the community.
  • Participation in Project Greenlight to partner on innovative technology-based solutions to local environmental challenges and accelerate tech-based approaches to service delivery.