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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOR-19-047 - Smart Waterloo Region - Ongoing Participation and FundingREPORT TO: Community & InfrastructureServices Committee DATE OF MEETING: December 9, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Dan Murray, Director of Technology Innovation and Services, 519-741- 2200 x7825 PREPARED BY:Dan Murray, Director of Technology Innovation and Services, 519-741- 2200 x7825 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:November 19, 2019 REPORT NO.:COR-19-047 SUBJECT:Smart Waterloo Region – Ongoing Participation and Funding ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That Council direct staff to continue involvement in ongoing efforts of Smart Waterloo Region to update and implement the Smart Waterloo Region (SWR)proposal. BACKGROUND: InNovember2017,Infrastructure Canada launched the Smart Cities Challenge to municipalities across the country.The Smart Cities challenge encouraged communities to leverage technology and data solutions to help overcome their most pressing challenges. The Region of Waterloo, the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo and the Townships of Wilmot, Woolwich, North Dumfries, and Wellesley formed Smart Waterloo Region and collectively respondedwith a challenge theme of Healthy Children and Youth as itsarea of focus workingwith technology, education, and social services sectors to develop a smart city proposal that aimed to make the region the best community in Canada for child and youth wellbeing. In the summer of 2018, the Smart Waterloo Region proposal was selected as a Phase 2 finalist along with four other community proposals across Canada (Vancouver/Surrey, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City). Smart Waterloo Region received a $250k grantfrom Infrastructure Canada to support the development of a full proposal. These funds were matched by the regional partnersbringing the Phase 2 budget up to $500k and were used for temporary staffing, community engagement, pilot projects and proposal development.The work of Smart Waterloo Region was ledby the Region of Waterloo’s Office of Economic Development staff and guided by a Steering Committee made up of the Chief Administrative Officers from all the regional area municipalities. In May 2019, the Government of Canada announced that the City of Montreal was the winning community of the $50 million grant prize. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 6 - 1 REPORT: While the Smart Waterloo Region proposal did not take the top spot in the challenge, there is a significant opportunity to benefit from the ideas and work completedto advance child and youth well-being across the entire region. Following the announcementthat the City of Montreal had won the Smart Cities Challenge, project staff have been seeking input from members of the technology, education, and social services sectors regarding how the regional municipalities should move forward with the implementationof theSmart Waterloo Region (SWR) proposal. This has also included discussions with proposal partners who had committed matching in-kind or cash contributions to the implementation of the proposal to determine the willingness to keep those contributions. Based on that engagement and a review of the over 40 technology and data enabled projects in the proposal, project staff identified a framework to move forward with the implementation of a revised SWR proposal, leverage operational funding from community partners, and pursue other smart city opportunities in Waterloo Region.That framework was presented to and supported by the SWR Steering Committee. On October22, 2019, Region of Waterloo council approved moving forward with the proposed framework to implement a revised SWR proposal, applying to external funding sources for matching funds, and the allocation of $125,000 to support and update the SWR proposal in 2020.Smart Waterloo Region is also applying to a local organization that is considering providing matching funding to supportimplementation ofthe SWR proposal. The SmartCities Challenge brought a significantnumber of regional stakeholders together to collectively develop the proposaland perform extensive publicengagement.Achieving a Phase 2 finalist position was asignificantachievement and demonstrates the value of the work completedthus far.A number of key stakeholders have forged new working relationships that will help position us to be a “smarter city” working collaboratively on future community challenges. Infrastructure Canada has suggested that this is the first round of funding for Smart City Challengesand thatif deemed successful, futurechallenges would be posed. It would be beneficial for all stakeholders to continue working collectivelyso we are well positioned for any future opportunitiesthat may arise. Many of the projects envisioned in the SWR proposal are complimentary to the City’s Digital Kitchener strategy as well as the City’s Strategic Plan 2019-2022, specifically the Caring Community theme. Staff are excited to continue theirwork with Smart Waterloo Regionand to advance initiatives to improve the well-being of Children and Youth across our community. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. 6 - 2 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Using the same contribution model used in the SWR Phase 2proposal development,the City of Kitchener’s annual share to develop and implement a revised SWR proposal will be $33,824/yearand is expected to last 5 years.These funds will be used to support administrative staff, engagementand pilot projects. Sufficient funding has been allocated in Technology Innovation and Services contracted services budget to support this ongoing workpending Council’s approval. This does not include funding for any resultinginitiatives that the City may wish to support further. Any further fundingrequestswill be brought back to Councilfor approval with supporting rationale. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. COLLABORATE – The Smart Waterloo Region project team undertook engagement activities including stakeholder labs, pop-ups, conversation toolkits, street teams,youth forums, and hackathons. Over 35 events occurred with an focus to reaching underrepresented youth includingnewcomers, rural youth and LGBTQ2+. Over 50 partnerships were established with industry associations,youth service providers, educational organizations and private sector partners. PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: Council approved the endorsementofthe theme of Healthy Children and Youth for the Waterloo Region Smart Cities Challenge Phase 1 application (FCS-18-031 – April 16,2018) and has received updateson Smart Waterloo Regionthrough annual Digital Kitchener updates(FCS-18- 009– Feb 5, 2018& COR-19-017, April 15,2019) ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Victoria Raab – General Manager, Corporate Services 6 - 3