Toronto Announced Most Intelligent Community of the Year!
By Penny on Jun 13, 2014
The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has announced Toronto as the most Intelligent Community of the Year!
For the second consecutive year, Toronto was ranked as one of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, and this time we took the top spot! Toronto reached the finals in 2005, 2013, and 2014. Carefully selected from a list of 21 semifinalists (Smart21), the ICF chooses the most outstanding honorees based on information gathered from questionnaires. First place is awarded to the community that best represents models of economic and social transformation with equal opportunities, improving global presence through the use of broadband, workforce development and innovation. The Top7 chosen communities must serve as international role models to other communities by leading the way into the future. The ICF searches for countries who are mobilizing these work engines in order to strengthen the economy and improve lifestyles of their citizens, businesses and institutions.
“This is a significant win for Toronto; one that recognizes the great efforts made in the city to work together on using information technology to create jobs, attract investment and make us more competitive," said Toronto Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly. "The work of Waterfront Toronto to collaborate with government, businesses, and the education and research community is helping establish Toronto’s waterfront as an example of how to use future-ready information and communication infrastructure to attract jobs and residents.”
As a part of Toronto’s representatives in New York, Toronto Councillor and Chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee, Michael Thompson said that the waterfront development has had one main focus that makes it a successful contender for the award: "Continued prosperity is our goal. We want to ensure that Toronto is seen as the best place in the world to live, work and play – for those of us who live there and for the many talented, hard-working and ambitious people around the world who are looking for that one place where they can find great opportunities and a great place to live.”
A young world class city like Toronto has a lot to look forward to, and one of the city’s biggest strengths is being able to incorporate diversity into the community’s development. President and CEO of Invest Toronto, Renato Discenza said "Toronto is one of the foremost cities in the world in which people want to work and live.” As a company that helps foreign companies relocate to Toronto through their expert understanding of Toronto’s markets, talent and business resources, Discenza says that Toronto is the most intelligent community because “Our diverse, multicultural and multilingual workforce keeps our city at the cutting edge of innovation. As a strategically-located global city in North America with a strong and stable economy, and a highly skilled talent pool that enjoys an outstanding quality of life, Toronto continues to excel as an attractive city for international investors providing opportunity for all."
The city’s success in the competition can be attributed to Waterfront Toronto and its Intelligent Community initiatives that have drastically elevated economic opportunity by increasing Toronto’s competitiveness with other world class cities. The project is Canada’s first open-access, ultra-high speed broadband network with Beanfield Metroconnect and Cisco. The Kids@Computers and Connected for Success programs, Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone and the Centre for Social Innovation were programs also praised as innovative solutions that serve as exemplary projects within communities. Lastly, Toronto was praised for its ability to reflect this year’s theme of the relationship between culture and community through the city’s vibrant and multicultural nature (with particular association to arts and culture and the Toronto International Film Festival).
Congrats to all the people of Toronto for making our city the most intelligent in the world!
