The ICF announces the Smart21 Communities of 2018

The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) recently announced the Smart21 Communities of 2018, which is the first phase of the annual Intelligent Communities Awards.

Based on qualitative and quantitative data gathered from questionnaires submitted by communities, the ICF selects 21 hopefuls that have the potential of becoming one of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year.

This is an international award, so even being named as one of the Smart21 is a milestone for any community striving to improve its broadband infrastructure.

This year, more than 50% of the communities are Canadian! That’s more than any other previous ICF Awards. We're proud to have completed the submission for Niagara Falls and think the community really has a great chance of making it into the Top7!   

The Canadian communities in the Smart21 include (in no particular order):

  • Hamilton, Ontario

  • Kelowna, British Columbia

  • Niagara Falls, Ontario

  • Olds, Alberta

  • Parkland County, Alberta

  • Pickering, Ontario

  • Sarnia-Lambton County, Ontario

  • St. Albert, Alberta

  • Western Valley, Nova Scotia

  • Winnipeg, Manitoba

  • York Region, Ontario

The rest of the list is comprised of communities in Australia, Taiwan, Finland, the United States, and France. It looks like there’s a pretty good chance that at least one Canadian city will make it into the Top7!

"This year’s list contains more surprises than we have seen in a long time,” says ICF Co-Founder Louis Zacharilla, in a recent release. “Over half of them are Canadian communities that have been working on their programs for years and arrived on the list. We also see Taiwan and Australia continuing to embrace broadband and the ICF Method effectively. While these are diverse places, they all connect this year as places that take the humanization of data seriously. Data has no value unless it is put in the service of a better, more prosperous region, city or town."

The prestigious Intelligent Community of the Year Award will be announced on June 7, 2018 at the ICF Global Summit in London. The Top7 should be announced close to the end of this year.  

Campbell Patterson