Hamilton ranked among the most intelligent cities in the world

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Published February 11, 2020 at 4:39 pm

The City of Hamilton has been named one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities in the World by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).

The City of Hamilton has been named one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities in the World by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).

The ICF’s Top 7 Intelligent Communities were announced Monday (Feb. 10), and include communities in the U.S., Estonia and Australia. The other Canadian community in the Top 7 is Markham.

This is Hamilton’s second time making the list after having reached the Top7 for the first time in 2018.

“This is more evidence of Hamilton’s social and economic transformation in a way that is making us an example to the world,” said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger in a press release.

“Hamilton’s approach to workforce development, innovation, and digital inclusion, as well as our proven excellence in advanced manufacturing and research, means we are charting new paths to lasting prosperity for our people, businesses, and institutions.”

According to ICF, the Top 7 “represent models of economic and social transformation in the 21st Century.”

While these communities are not considered the most advanced technology centres, the most wired cities or the fastest growing economies in the world, they employ “best practices in broadband deployment and use, workforce development, innovation, digital inclusion and advocacy that offer lessons to regions, cities, towns and villages around the world.

“They are charting new paths to lasting prosperity for their citizens, businesses and institutions.”

The ICF touts a number of Hamilton’s practice of remediating the West Harbour and former industrial lands for redevelopment, the city’s history of adeptly navigating the changing local economy, as well as a commitment to digital equality.

One program, in particular, is highlighted by ICF as being especially indicative of the city’s intelligence: the charity initiative, GreenBYTE, that collects end-of-life computer systems, refurbishes them and provides them to low-income households at no cost.

As part of Hamilton’s submission, the City of Hamilton release says, the city highlighted its strong community projects including Mohawk College City School, the Industry Education Council, the Synapse Life Sciences Consortium and private sector investments including Bell Canada’s $400-million fibre network expansion.

Partners in the bid included McMaster University, Mohawk College, Hamilton Health Sciences and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce amongst many more in the greater community, the release said.

An ICF judge will travel to Hamilton in the Spring for a multi-day tour of the city to determine if Hamilton is the most intelligent community in the world in 2020.

The world’s most intelligent community will be named in June 2020 in Dublin, Ohio.

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