Thursday 19 May 2016

Toronto based WCCD teams up with i-Canada to roll-out first international standard for cities across Canada

The Toronto-based World Council on City Data (WCCD) has teamed up with i-CANADA  to accelerate the roll-out of ISO 37120 - the first international standard on indicators for sustainable cities  - across Canada, helping to create the smart, sustainable, resilient and prosperous cities of tomorrow. 



“The World Council on City Data is solidly committed to ensuring that cities in Canada – and globally - are equipped with the tools to succeed in a world where cities are becoming global economic hubs for innovation. ISO 37120 can help cities plan for sustainability and resiliency while helping them to make smart decisions for accelerated economic development,” stated WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney.  “We look forward to working with i-Canada and with the “Rising Communities Caucus” and to the launch event to celebrate this new partnership at the World Future Cities Summit in Toronto from June 9-10.” 

Bill Hutchison, Chair of i-CANADA, stated that Canadian cities are early adopters’ of Smart City techniques:  “Canada is the world leader in awards for Smart Cities.  Being able to use these ISO standards will be an accelerator of the first order.”

WCCD member cities are identifying and implementing data-driven solutions for the myriad challenges faced by mayors and city leaders around the world.  With over 250 cities involved in the design of ISO 37120, the WCCD is inviting all Canadian cities to join this global initiative and be certified.
For more information about the World Council on City Data, or how your city can become WCCD ISO 37120 certified and entered into the Global Cities Registry™, please contact info@dataforcities.org



Additonally, for more information, please contact:
James Patava
World Council on City Data

About the World Council on City Data (WCCD)
The WCCD hosts a network of innovative cities worldwide committed to improving city services and quality of life with globally standardized city data As featured in the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, and Cities Today the World Council on City Data is globally operationalizing ISO 37120 – the first internationals standard for sustainable cities, and hosts the Global Cities Registry™ for ISO 37120.  For the first time, this new standard allows for the generation of globally comparative, independently verified open city data from over 30 leading, global cities with the goal of creating a global network dedicated to building more sustainable, prosperous, resilient and smart cities.  The WCCD hosts a network of innovative cities committed to improving services and quality of life with open city data. The WCCD Open City Data Portal showcases verified data for WCCD ISO 37120 certified cities of all sizes, from around the world.

For more on the WCCD see:  http://www.dataforcities.org/

About i-Canada
I-CANADA is the pan-Canadian movement dedicated to creating a nation of Intelligent Communities large and small, rural and urban, where all enjoy the economic development, job growth and social prosperity now available in the world’s leading communities. The i-CANADA Governors Council is comprised of provincial Premiers, Mayors and CEOs of major corporations.

About the WORLD FUTURE CITIES SUMMIT
The WORLD FUTURE CITIES SUMMIT connects Smart City leaders to problem-solving techniques that will from around the world.
Participants will get involved with world-leading topics and experts like:
  • The globe’s largest investment program, India’s Smart 100 Communities Program, and opportunities for involvement;
  • International Standards to measure Smart Communities, led by Canada’s own Patricia McCarney, President and CEO World Council on City Data;
  • The next level of Smart City development, from IBM's Steve Adler, an icon of data development who has created $Billion businesses that drive open cities; 
  • The new “killer apps” for Smart City acceleration;
  • The actual ROI from Smart City investment;
  • The new “Rising Communities” program  -  the first practical movement to create Smart Communities, co-chaired by the Mayors of Fredericton and Stratford; and
  • Financing options, with Mark Romoff, President and CEO, Canadian Council on Public Private Partnerships

The event includes the official launch evening of Luminato, Toronto's globally-recognized Festival of Arts and Creativity.  Guests will be in the first audience to see the heritage Hearn Generating Station venue as it has been reimagined for the Festival.  See:  https://luminatofestival.com/

Bill Hutchison, Chair of i-CANADA, has said that "Canada is the best country in the world for the creation of Smart Communities - Canada has won more "Intelligent Community" awards than any other nation.  The WORLD FUTURE CITIES SUMMIT will become a "must-attend" conference on everyone's agenda."   For more on the WORLD FUTURE CITIES SUMMIT see:


About the Rising Communities Caucus
Canada’s first comprehensive program of actionable steps to transform communities into “Smart Communities”, has been launched by i-CANADA and its partners.  The Co-Chairs of the Caucus are Brad Woodside, Mayor of Fredericton NB, and Dan Mathieson, Mayor of Stratford ON.  Both mayors have led their communities to become globally-acknowledged Smart Communities.  Members of the Rising Community Caucus obtain:
  • Mayors’ Meetings, live and online, for peer coaching on how to lead Smart Community development;
  • International Standards briefings that introduce a global outlook to your community, with partner MMMMMMMMMMMM;
  • Local Internet Assessments of speeds and branding potential, with partner the Canadian Internet Registry Authority (CIRA);
  • Economic Return-On-Investment Assessments for your community, from David Sandel Associates, showing the real value for business, employment and social development, of becoming a Smart Community;
  • Study of Current “Smart Community” Status to help assess what needs to be done to advance as a Smart Community;
  • Community Vision-Setting Workshop where the 5-year Vision is set out, with priorities for development for all Sectors;
  • Network Assessments with financial options, on what is needed to create the Vision;

Wednesday 18 May 2016

WCCD and the importance of city data highlighted by new UN Report launched today in New York


President & CEO of the World Council on City Data & Director of the Global Cities Institute at the University of Toronto, Professor Patricia McCarney was in New York on May 18th, at the launch of UN-Habitat’s “World Cities Report 2016.” A flagship publication of UN-Habitat, the report establishes cities as a transformative force and sets the tone for the new urban agenda to be adopted at Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016. Professor McCarney and her colleague Professor Stren authored the opening chapters of this game-changing report, “From Habitat II to Habitat III: Twenty Years of Urban Development” and “Urbanization as a Transformative Force.”  

The work of Professor McCarney and that of the WCCD was widely applauded at the event, with Eduardo Moreno - UN-Habitat Director for Research Capacity Development - pointing to the work of the WCCD as helping to close the global gap on the city data deficit. The need for data to guide and monitor progress and investment in cities has never been greater. Over the last two decades, cities have emerged as the world’s economic platforms for production, innovation and trade and it is in cities where private sector jobs are being created.  McCarney argues in this new UN report that city data is essential for evidence-based decision making and policy development that will support increasing productivity, create employment opportunities, improve quality of life and inform large-scale investment in infrastructure so pivotal for cities in Canada and worldwide. 

The transformative power of urbanization will continue to be driven by the rapid deployment of Information and Communications Technology making cities smarter and more resilient. "Cities have become a positive and potent force for addressing sustainable economic growth, development and prosperity and for driving innovation," concluded Professor McCarney. 

The full report can be read here.