COQUITLAM, B.C., Feb. 27, 2023 – Coquitlam has once again been selected as a Smart21 Community by the Intelligent Community Forum.
At a virtual conference co-hosted with the Economic Developers Association of Canada and Economic Development Australia, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named Coquitlam as one of the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2023. 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solutions that increase community awareness of City programs and services, improve resident experiences, transform outdated processes and foster civic engagement.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.
Coquitlam as a Smart City
In addition to the initiatives outlined above, the City of Coquitlam uses technology to enhance community life and City services across a wide spectrum of operations ranging from a variety of online services to free Wi-Fi access in City parks and facilities. The City’s success in using technology to streamline and transform how it processes development applications also earned Coquitlam a Tech Trailblazer Award in 2022.
For more information on these, and other technological initiatives that make Coquitlam a Smart City, visit www.coquitlam.ca/smart.
About the Intelligent Community Forum
Starting in 2000 with a research project comparing cities in various nations, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) created a unique, data-driven approach to development that puts citizens first while tapping the enormous economic and social potential of technology. In a world dominated by digital, ICF’s mission is to help communities create innovative and growing economies, inclusive societies and affirming cultures open to the world. Learn more at www.intelligentcommunity.org.
Media contact:
Danny Bandiera
Manager, Information and Communications Technology
dbandiera@coquitlam.ca
604-927-3601