COQUITLAM, BC, April 2, 2024 – Coquitlam has been named for the third time as a Smart21 Community by the Intelligent Community Forum. This global recognition celebrates Coquitlam's effective use of digital technologies to enhance the quality of life for community members, promote environmental sustainability and foster economic development.
Key Initiatives Driving Coquitlam’s Smart Community Success
Coquitlam’s recognition as a Smart21 Community reflects the City’s holistic approach to technology and innovation, encompassing initiatives aimed at connectivity, education, community engagement and open data access. Some of the initiatives driving success in 2023 included:
- Expansive High-Speed Public Wi-Fi: Coquitlam provides high-speed public Wi-Fi across over 30 parks and civic facilities, ensuring community-wide access to digital resources and connectivity.
- Project Greenlight Participation: Through collaboration with businesses and government, Coquitlam is at the forefront of innovative technology-based solutions to local environmental challenges.
- Coquitlam Open Data Portal: Facilitating unprecedented public access to City data, this portal empowers residents, businesses and researchers with valuable information, fostering transparency, innovation and accountability.
- Student Co-op and Junior Firefighter Programs: These initiatives provide valuable work experience and career exploration opportunities in municipal government and fire and rescue services, encouraging youth engagement and workforce readiness.
- Volunteer Program: The program offers diverse volunteer opportunities, enhancing civic engagement while enabling residents to develop skills and contribute to community betterment.
- Community Engagement Framework: Adopted to modernize and expand public participation in City decision-making, this framework embodies transparency, inclusivity and equity, ensuring that all community voices are heard and valued.
- Library’s Learn and Use It Program: This program leverages the Coquitlam Public Library network to offer digital literacy and technology access to all residents, supporting lifelong learning and skill development.
These initiatives represent Coquitlam's strong commitment to continuous improvement, and build on the City’s use of technology across a wide array of services such as enhancing civic engagement with platforms like the CoquitlamConnect app and Let’s Talk Coquitlam portal to advancing public transparency through online access to Council meetings and City data. Efforts to streamline City operations are evident in the digital automation of development applications, recognized with a Tech Trailblazer Award, and in the extensive eServices available to residents. Infrastructure improvements, such as the deployment of LED streetlights and the expansive QNet fibre optic network, underscore a commitment to efficiency and sustainability.
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:
Kimberly Chan
Director, Information and Communications Technology
kchan@coquitlam.ca
604-927-3435