COQUITLAM, B.C., Sept. 21, 2023 – A two-year City pilot project launched this month will deliver user-friendly, actionable data on Coquitlam park use, vehicle crash sites and economic development.
Coquitlam is working with tech firm UrbanLogiq to gain insights from data in order to enhance how the City designs and builds parks, develops safe and connected neighbourhoods and supports business and investment. It’s the City’s first initiative through Project Greenlight, a procurement platform that pairs organizations with tech innovators to develop sustainable tech-based approaches to service-delivery.
Turning Data into Action
UrbanLogiq was chosen as the first partner in Project Greenlight as their proposal provided opportunities to address multiple City service areas and additional priorities, and to create widespread City and community benefit.
Over the next two years, UrbanLogiq will work with the City to consolidate, visualize and analyze data in the following areas:
- Parks: Data will focus on who, when, why and how frequently residents are accessing the City’s parks, park amenities and natural areas, advancing strategies in the Environmental Sustainability Plan by helping inform how the city plans, designs and builds future parks.
- Transportation: Data will focus on analyzing vehicle crashes to help the City plan for safer transportation networks connecting neighbourhoods.
- Economic Development: Data will focus on the location and relationship of businesses, demographics, and on who, when and how residents are interacting with local business hubs to help attract and grow business and encourage investment in sustainable local economic clusters – key actions in its new Economic Development Strategy.
Based in Vancouver, UrbanLogiq has developed a secure cloud-based platform to help governments transform complex data into easily-understood visual formats that provide new, usable insights. Other municipalities working with UrbanLogiq include the cities of Burnaby, Toronto and San Jose.
Next Steps
Coquitlam released four open calls for proposals in 2022 and 2023 through Project Greenlight under the title Sustainable Coquitlam, aiming to attract proposals that support goals in the Environmental Sustainability Plan related to climate action, built or green infrastructure and water management.
The current open call deadline is November 30, 2023, and interested parties can visit Coquitlam’s Project Greenlight member page for details on intake timelines, eligibility and submission details. Coquitlam continues to consider all other submissions received to-date to help the City meet its sustainability and climate action goals, as well as nurture the local green economy and technology industry.
As Coquitlam’s climate journey evolves, so too will the Sustainable Coquitlam challenge. The upcoming Climate Action Plan will help inform future updates to target specific climate solutions that will support deep energy and emissions reductions where they are needed most.
Coquitlam’s Involvement in Project Greenlight
Coquitlam’s participation and success with the Project Greenlight program led to its recent nomination for the Community Energy Association’s 2023 Climate & Energy Action Awards.
In addition to supporting the Environmental Sustainability Plan, the City’s involvement in Project Greenlight is a natural fit with its efforts to grow the local green tech sector and to leverage technology solutions to improve service delivery and efficiency. Project Greenlight provides a well-structured process for evaluating innovative technologies and an avenue for inter-departmental collaboration. The platform addresses members’ innovation needs and enables them to source, screen, and onboard solutions at a faster pace than would be possible under conventional procurement processes.
Project Greenlight is funded by Pacific Economic Development Canada and hosted by the Vancouver Economic Commission with support from Foresight Canada. Project Greenlight is a membership-based demonstration platform that supports public and private enterprises (members) by advancing their sustainability, smart, and digital goals.
Information about the platform can be found at projectgreenlight.io.
Work for an Innovative and Award-Winning Employer
Are you interested in joining a team that continues to deliver innovative and award-winning initiatives? One of BC’s Top Employers, the City of Coquitlam offers a culture of innovation that encourages employees to seek out creative solutions to improve efficiency and service-delivery while supporting their growth and career goals. Follow us on LinkedIn for updates and alerts on new opportunities, or visit coquitlam.ca/careers to find out what makes us a top employer and award-winning organization.
Media Contact
Caresse Selk
Manager Environment
epw@coquitlam.ca
604-927-3500
Eric Kalnins
Manager Economic Development
economicdevelopment@coquitlam.ca
604-927-3905
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.