HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-18-031 - Waterloo Region Smart Cities Challenge UpdateREPORT TO: Council
DATE OF MEETING: April 16, 2018
SUBMITTED BY: Dan Murray, Director of Technology Innovation and Services,
519-741-2200x7825
PREPARED BY: Justin Watkins, Manager of Digital Transformation and Strategy
519-741-2200x7203
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: April 9, 2018
REPORT NO.: FCS-18-031
SUBJECT:Waterloo Region Smart Cities Challenge Update
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RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener endorse the theme of Healthy Children and Youth for
the Waterloo Region Smart Cities Challenge Phase 1 application.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2017, Infrastructure Canada launched a national Smart Cities Challenge
for municipalities across the country. Its purpose is to encourage new opportunities
where a technology or data solution can improve local quality of life. Since this
announcement, the Region of Waterloo and its area municipalities have been working
together to develop a regional application for the Smart Cities Challenge. With a
population of over 500,000, Waterloo region is eligible to compete for a $50 million
prize.
The Smart Cities Challenge includes a two-phase application process. The phase one
application is an expression of interest, due on April 24, 2018. Its purpose is to identify
up to two opportunities that can be addressed using a technology or data solution. If
successful in phase one, the phase two application will focus on the adaptation of the
expression of interest by the municipalities and community partners. The final
submission will be due in late 2018 or early 2019, with the winners announced in the
spring of 2019.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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REPORT:
To participate in the Smart Cities Challenge, municipalities are required to select a
challenge area based on consultation with the community. In response to this, the
Waterloo region smart cities team leveraged the extensive consultation and research
completed by Wellbeing Waterloo Region in 2016-2017. Wellbeing Waterloo Region is a
local initiative that seeks to advance a more integrated, holistic approach to community
wellness/wellbeing and create significant and impactful solutions. Based on its
extensive community input, Wellbeing Waterloo Region identified three areas of focus
for its work: Affordable Housing; Healthy Children and Youth; and Social Inclusion.
These three areas were used as a starting point to further inform Waterloo region’s
smart cities application. Over the month of February, Region staff, with the assistance of
municipal partners, carried out consultations to determine which challenge area would
benefit most from the application of smart technology and data solutions.
Based on this initial consultation and further discussions with not-for-profits and
technology companies, the Waterloo region smart cities team is recommending Healthy
Children and Youth as the community challenge area for the phase one application. The
goal in doing so will be to identify opportunities where a technology and/or data solution
can support initiatives in areas such as youth programming, literacy rates, nutrition and
food programs, mental and physical health solutions, infrastructure such as connected
community spaces, broader education platforms, and high school graduation rates.
If selected for phase two, the Region of Waterloo and its municipal partners will lead the
development of a full application over a six-month period, including additional
consultation and research. The full application will require the development of a detailed
technology/data framework and execution plan that outlines each of the project
partners, technology products and solutions, measurement framework, cost of
implementation, and governance. Phase two applicants are expected to be announced
in the summer of 2018.
The Region of Waterloo has requested that each of the area municipalities pass
resolutions in support of the Healthy Children and Youth theme to include with the
phase one application. As council will recall, participating in a regional Smart Cities
Challenge application was included in the 2018 work plan for Digital Kitchener, given
the alignment between that strategy and the Smart Cities Challenge. Further, the theme
of Healthy Children and Youth also aligns well with other City of Kitchener initiatives,
such as the Kitchener Youth Action Council (KYAC), youth drop-in programs, My Ideal
City, the COPS program, and others.
Appended to FCS-18-031 is a report from the Region of Waterloo, providing a more
fulsome overview of the process utilized in developing the phase one application.
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ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority: Effective and Efficient City Services
Strategy: 5.2 - Improve the design and delivery of city services so that they provide what
citizens want in the most reliable, convenient and cost efficient way
Strategic Action: #68 - Corporate Technology Strategic Plan and Digital Strategy
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
If Waterloo region is selected to proceed to phase two of the Smart Cities Challenge, it
will receive a $250,000 grant to assist in completing the full application. If Waterloo
region wins the Smart Cities Challenge, a $50 million grant will be awarded to assist in
the implementation of the technology/data solution. Any initiatives resulting from the
Smart Cities Challenge application with additional budget implications will be brought
forward to council for consideration
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in
advance of the council / committee meeting.
COLLABORATE – Participating in a regional application for the Smart Cities Challenge
was included in Digital Kitchener’s 2018 work plan, which was developed in
collaboration with various internal and external partners.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager of Corporate Services
Attachment: Region of Waterloo Report PDL-ECD-18-02 Smart Cities Challenge –
Phase One Application
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