Community stands to win in Smart Cities Challenge

From open WI-FI to fleet with automated vehicle location (AVL) to Community Energy to automated water sensor technologies, Strathcona County is a “smart” municipality.

To take “smart” to the next level, the County will be vying for a $10 million prize, entering the federal Smart Cities Challenge.    

The Smart Cities Challenge encourages communities to address local issues through smart data use, connected technologies and partnerships. The competition intends to inspire ideas and knowledge sharing for the benefit of communities across the country.  

The County’s Smart Cities Challenge application is being developed using the Social Framework as a foundation, leveraging its extensive community engagement.

Through Community Talk, the County heard that citizens want to work together towards a common goal and feel a strong sense of community through their relationships with each other.

The County’s Smart Cities Challenge application will focus on inclusion and connectedness. In preparing the submission, various smart technology concepts are being explored, including the creation of a digital hub to support a more connected and inclusive community. Identifying the involvement of non-profit, academic, industrial and business sectors is an important component.

The challenge application deadline is April 24. Finalists will be announced this summer. Each finalist will receive a grant of $250,000 to develop and submit their final proposal, due Winter 2019. Two prizes of up to $10 million will be awarded in the category of populations under 500,000 to implement their Smart Cities Challenge initiative.

Set in the centre of Alberta’s energy and agricultural heartland, Strathcona County is a thriving, successful and vibrant community of over 98,000 residents. Strathcona County is made up of the urban area of Sherwood Park and a large adjacent rural area of farms, acreages and smaller hamlets. It is home to 75 per cent of refining in Western Canada. With a focus on economic, governance, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, Strathcona County is committed to balancing the unique needs of its diverse community.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595