Wednesday, 30 September 2020

St. John’s Receives Platinum Certification from WCCD

   

 (Please visit the following link to view the original release on the City of St. John's website) 

September 30, 2020


The City of St. John's has received World Council on City Data (WCCD) ISO 37120 Platinum Certification. This international recognition is awarded to cities that reach the highest standard in collecting, sharing, and using data to effectively make decisions. Reporting over 90 of the 104 indicators within WCCD's ISO 37120 standard, the City of St. John’s is among a select group of global cities reporting at the highest platinum level.
Participation in this national initiative is supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities through the WCCD’s ‘Data for Canadian Cities Project’. This Project effectively doubles the number of Canadian cities in the WCCD network to thirty – allowing for “apples to apples” comparisons across the country, and globally. This project helps the participating cities become certified for three years under ISO 37120, the world’s first international standard for city data. As the project continues in years two and three, a significant focus will be placed on assisting the participating municipalities in using the data to improve city services and quality of life for citizens.

"All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” said The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, in partnership with the World Council on City Data, we've been helping municipal leaders in a number of communities across Canada do just that. I am delighted that the City of St. John's has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data. This will help the City plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities."
"The City of St. John's has a well-deserved reputation for balancing its strong sense of heritage with the needs of a modern urban population,” said WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney. “The City's participation in the Data for Canadian Cities Project is a perfect demonstration of this commitment. In harnessing standardized, globally comparable and independently verified city data, Mayor Breen and the City Council are underlining their commitment to evidence-based, data-driven decision making to create a more sustainable, smart, resilient, prosperous and inclusive future for city residents. On behalf of the WCCD, it is my pleasure to congratulate Mayor Breen, City Council and the truly dedicated City Staff on their WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification."
St. John’s joins one hundred cities around the world in measuring indicators like air quality, electricity use, how close people are to public services, and population density. This data will be used to assess how cities are tackling challenges like climate change and identify the solutions that are working well. 
“Participating in this initiative means that the City of St. John’s will have an opportunity to share our successes with other municipalities and learn from best practices around the world,” said Mayor Danny Breen. “We are committed to making strong and effective decisions, based on evidence, that ensure our city is sustainable, now and into the future.”
Data collected in 2018 is now available on the City’s website. Staff have begun compiling data for the 2019 report. For more information about the World Council on City Data (WCCD) and the certification, visit dataforcities.org

About the WCCD
The World Council on City Data (WCCD) was founded in 2014 and exists to help communities of all sizes - in Canada and across the globe - to embrace standardized, independently verified, and globally comparable city data to become more sustainable, resilient, prosperous inclusive and smart. Since its founding, the WCCD has been working with 100 cities worldwide and has helped these cities to adopt ISO 37120, the first international standard for city data. The WCCD and ISO 37120 are a truly “Made in Canada” initiative – with their ultimate creation primarily spearheaded by Canadian urban thinkers and city leaders. The standard includes 104 indicators across 19 themes and standardizes data to measure progress on a set of city services and quality of life. ISO 37120 provides cities with quantitative, globally comparable and independently verified local-level data enabling any city, of any size, to measure and compare its social, economic, and environmental progress internally year over year, and also in relation to other peer cities locally and globally. The WCCD Global Network includes one hundred cities across more than thirty countries.  The WCCD is now implementing three international standards referred to as the ISO 37120 Series – that includes ISO 37120 as the base document and two new standards: ISO 37122 – Indicators for Smart Cities and ISO 37123 – Indicators for Resilient Cities. 
About the ISO 37120 standard
The WCCD administered ISO 37120 is a globally standardized data set that measures quality of life and delivery of municipal services, and its creation was primarily spearheaded by Canadian urban leaders. The data within ISO 37120 enables Canadian municipalities to compare their progress with their counterparts across the country and around the world, according to nineteen city service and quality of life thematic areas. These themes include the environment, economy, education, governance, finance, transportation, recreation, and health, amongst others. Data compiled through this standard supports municipalities to better plan and implement infrastructure investments and measure the impacts of those investments on economic prosperity and the quality of life of their residents.

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Mount Pearl Goes Platinum and Joins Global Network of Data-Driven Cities

   

( Please visit the following link to view the original release on the City of Mount Pearl's website)

September 22, 2020

Mount Pearl, NL – Tonight, the City of Mount Pearl received its platinum certification under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 37120: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Indicators for city services and quality of life. This international recognition is awarded to cities that reach the highest standard in collecting, sharing, and using data to effectively make decisions. The certification was presented by the World Council on City Data (WCCD) as part of the "Data for Canadian Cities Project", supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities. With this achievement, Mount Pearl now joins WCCD’s global network of 100 cities in over 35 countries. The City is being awarded platinum- level certification for reporting over 90 of the 104 indicators.

“This is another example of our City using innovation and collaboration to support our focus on continuous learning and growth,” said Deputy Mayor Jim Locke. “We are committed to ensuring Mount Pearl is leading the way in data-driven decision making that will improve our service delivery and enhance the quality of life for our citizens. We are now even more equipped to create a smarter, more sustainable, resilient, prosperous and inclusive community.”


"With a strong history of supporting business, and investing in its citizens, it is a pleasure to be able to welcome the City of Mount Pearl to the WCCD Canadian and Global network, as an ISO 37120 Platinum Certified City," said WCCD President & CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney. "The City's dedication to harnessing standardized, comparable and independently verified city data to drive change for citizens highlights Mount Pearl as a leading urban centre. With the positive benefits of this ISO Platinum certification ranging from economic development insights to improving service delivery and increasing sustainability, resilience and prosperity for all residents – the WCCD views Mount Pearl as an extraordinary partner. Congratulations to council and all of the staff on this tremendous accomplishment."

WCCD is working with 15 municipalities across Canada through the Data for Canadian Cities Project. This Project effectively doubles the number of Canadian cities in the WCCD network to thirty – allowing for “apples to apples” comparisons across the country, and globlly. The project will help the participating cities become certified for three years under ISO 37120, the world’s first international standard for city data. As the project continues into years two and three, a significant focus will be placed on assisting the participating municipalities in using the data to improve city services and quality of life for citizens.


 "All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” said Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna. “Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, in partnership with the World Council on City Data, we've been helping municipal leaders in a number of communities across Canada do just that. I am delighted that Mount Pearl has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data, this will help the City plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities."


ABOUT WORLD COUNCIL ON CITY DATA

The World Council on City Data (WCCD) was founded in 2014 and exists to help communities of all sizes - in Canada and across the globe - to embrace standardized, independently verified, and globally comparable city data to become more sustainable, resilient, prosperous inclusive and smart. Since its founding, the WCCD has been working with 100 cities worldwide and has helped these cities to adopt ISO 37120, the first international standard for city data. The WCCD and ISO 37120 are a truly “Made in

Canada” initiative – with their ultimate creation primarily spearheaded by Canadian urban thinkers and city leaders. The standard includes 104 indicators across 19 themes and standardizes data to measure progress on city services and quality of life. ISO 37120 provides cities with quantitative, globally comparable and independently verified local-level data enabling any city, of any size, to measure and compare its social, economic, and environmental progress internally year over year, and also in relation to other peer cities locally and globally. The WCCD Global Network includes one hundred cities across more than thirty countries. The WCCD is now implementing three international standards referred to as the ISO 37120 Series – that includes ISO 37120 as the base document and two new new standards: ISO 37122 – Indicators for Smart Cities and ISO 37123 – Indicators for Resilient Cities.


ABOUT ISO 37120

Administered by the World Council on City Data, ISO 37120 is a globally standardized data set that measures quality of life and delivery of municipal services. This data enables Canadian municipalities to compare their progress with their counterparts across the country and around the world, according to nineteen city service and quality of life thematic areas. These themes include the environment, economy, education, governance, finance, transportation, recreation, and health, amongst others. Data compiled through this project supports municipalities to better plan and implement infrastructure investments and measure the impacts of those investments on economic prosperity and the quality of life of their residents. This ISO standardized and third party verified data also supports cities in advancing economic development and investment, in monitoring progress on local and global climate agendas, and in tracking a city’s progress on sustainable development goals including the United Nation’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

City of Edmonton Receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification

   

(Please visit the following link to view the original release on the City of Edmonton's website) 




September 21, 2020

Today, the World Council on City Data (WCCD) recognized the City for achieving ISO 37120 Platinum certification as part of the Government of Canada supported Data for Canadian Cities Project. This is the highest level of certification that a city can achieve and reflects the calibre of the data reported in accordance with ISO 37120: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Indicators for City Services, the first international standard for city data. This global first was largely created through the input of Canadian urban leaders and practitioners. 
 
"Transparency and accountability maintain and strengthen our democracy. This is why we're extremely pleased to have achieved Platinum certification from the WCCD for the Data for Canadian Cities Project,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “Edmonton has long been a leader in data-driven decision-making to provide better City services and improve quality of life for Edmontonians. I’d like to thank Minister McKenna and the WCCD for their leadership in this project and encourage my colleagues in other Canadian municipalities to participate in this important work.”
 
"We are so pleased to welcome Edmonton into the WCCD global network of 100 data-driven cities across more than 35 countries” stated the WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney. “Edmonton is already recognized, here in Canada and on the global stage, as a city truly dedicated to building high calibre data for performance management, benchmarking and moreover, for putting that data to use as a core element in their strategic planning framework. Being awarded WCCD ISO Platinum Certification today further underscores the commitment of Mayor Iveson and Edmonton’s leaders on leveraging globally standardized, comparable, and independently verified city data, that will drive a more prosperous, sustainable, resilient and inclusive future for the City’s residents."

"All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure. Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, in partnership with the World Council on City Data, we've been helping municipal leaders in a number of communities across Canada do just that,” stated The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “I am delighted that Edmonton has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data. This will help the City plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities." 

Data for participating Canadian cities will be publicly available in early 2021 on the WCCD website, following the relaunch of the WCCD Visualization Portal. Data compiled through this project supports municipalities to better plan and implement infrastructure investments and measure the impacts of those investments on economic prosperity and the quality of life of their residents.
 
The WCCD administered ISO 37120 is a globally standardized data set that measures quality of life and delivery of municipal services. As part of a funded agreement with the Government of Canada, the WCCD is working with fifteen municipalities across Canada to help them become certified under ISO 37120, doubling the number of WCCD ISO Certified Canadian municipalities to thirty. This three-year project assists the participating cities in obtaining WCCD’s ISO 37120 Certification, as well as leveraging the data to drive insights, build capacity, and monitor trends. 


For more information:
www.dataforcities.org

Media contact:  
Becky Machnee
Communications Advisor
Communications and Engagement
780-944-0420

James Patava
VP of Public Affairs & International Relations
World Council on City Data (WCCD)
1-416-966-2368

Tuesday, 15 September 2020

City of Selkirk Receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification

   

(Please visit the following link to view the original release on the City of Selkirk's website) 


Selkirk goes platinum and joins elite list of global cities

Boston, London, Amsterdam, Toronto, Dubai…and Selkirk. This small city in Manitoba shares the company of an elite and growing collection of global cities to embrace standardized city data to inform better decision-making and to drive public and private investment in cities of all sizes and locations.

Selkirk is also the first and currently the only community in Manitoba to have embraced and adopted this transformative and innovative process.

Praise from the Federal level
Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, said in partnership with the World Council on City Data (WCCD) and through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, the federal government has been helping municipal leaders meet global data standards, and to put this data to use.

“All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” McKenna said.

“I am delighted that Selkirk has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data, this will help the city plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities.” 

Data to make our city, country, and world better
As part of a funded agreement with the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities, the World Council on City Data is working with fifteen municipalities across Canada through the Data for Canadian Cities Project. This Project will help the fifteen cities become certified for three years under ISO 37120, the world’s first international standard for city data.

As the project continues into years two and three, a significant focus will be placed on assisting the participating municipalities in using the data to improve city services and quality of life for citizens.

Yielding the fruit from the trees we planted
Duane Nicol, Selkirk’s Chief Administrative Officer said that achieving the certification is a continuation of the work they have been doing in recent years to build new tools and systems to enhance the city’s decision making, such as their award winning capital asset management program.

“This initiative is almost the equivalent of a “community FitBit.” It provides us with the ability to track progress and compare ourselves to our own past performance, year-by-year or even decade-by-decade,” said Nicol.

“It also allows us to compare, collaborate and learn by sharing performance, solutions and progress with other WCCD ISO certified cities worldwide.  This will enhance Selkirk’s ability to make more informed decisions impacting our community’s long-term social, economic and environmental health.”

Using data to make smart decisions
Mayor Larry Johannson says this is yet another example of how Selkirk is using innovation and leading practices to set itself apart.

“We know as citizens that Selkirk is a great place to live, work and play. With this data we can prove it and we can continue our work to make Selkirk even stronger. We’ve been recognized as provincial and national leaders in terms of asset management and on climate change. Now we join an elite group of global leaders who are working to make cities more sustainable and liveable” said Johannson.

Universally recognized
ISO as a brand represents a standard of excellence recognized by the private and public sectors worldwide.

“Adopting the ISO standard ensures the information Selkirk provides to prospective investors, government agencies and other parties will contribute to better informed decision making,” said the city’s Director of Sustainable Economic Development Tim Feduniw.

“Accurate, credible and consistent information is critical to attracting and shaping positive community economic growth”

For the future
Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of the WCCD, welcomed the City of Selkirk to the WCCD global network of data-driven cities.

“I look forward to working with Selkirk in harnessing this data, and putting it to use,” said McCarney.

 “With applications from economic development, to targeted infrastructure investment, to internal and external benchmarking, the city’s platinum certification is a testament to the leadership of Mayor Larry Johannson and his entire team in committing to high calibre, local-level data to drive a more prosperous, sustainable, resilient and inclusive future for Selkirk.”

To achieve the WCCD ISO 37120 platinum certification, the city had to report 90 of a potential 104 indicators, broken down into 19 categories that ranged from economy to energy, environment to innovation and urban planning to water and sanitation. In obtaining WCCD’s ISO 37120 Platinum Certification, Selkirk joins 100 cities worldwide, across more than 35 countries.

Monday, 14 September 2020

Waterloo achieves platinum ISO standard, joins global network of cities in performance measurement

   


(Visit the following link to view the original release on the City of Waterloo's website)


September 14, 2020

The City of Waterloo has achieved the highest certification – platinum – from the World Council on City Data (WCCD) for ISO 37120: Sustainable cities and communities – Indicators for city services and quality of life. 

This international standard includes 104 indicators to measure and compare inclusive, sustainable, economically attractive and prosperous cities globally. The WCCD’s platinum certification level refers to Waterloo reporting on over 90 of the possible 104 indicators, committing to the most thorough comparison of performance to a global network of cities. 

“Waterloo is a great city that is always improving. Now with our ISO certification, we can compare Waterloo to 100 other cities around the world. They will learn from us, and we’ll learn from them to build a better quality of life for all our citizens. I’m proud of our staff for achieving platinum; it means we’re measuring and trying to improve on as many things as possible for our community,” said Mayor Dave Jaworsky.

The certification will be presented virtually to Council on September 21 by the WCCD as part of the "Data for Canadian Cities Project", supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities. As part of a funded agreement with the Government of Canada, the WCCD worked with 15 municipalities, including Waterloo and Kitchener, to help them become certified. With this achievement, Waterloo joins WCCD’s Canadian network of 30 cities, which includes the City of Cambridge, and a global network of 100 cities in over 30 countries. As the project moves into years two and three, the focus will shift to how participating municipalities can use the data available to advance, while sharing their unique expertise to help other participants improve services and quality of life.

"The City of Waterloo has a well-deserved reputation as a centre of innovation across Canada and globally. Through this WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification, the WCCD is pleased to recognize Waterloo's commitment to harnessing data to drive sustainable economic development and citizen-focused, evidence-based decision making for quality of life advancements," stated WCCD President & CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney. "It is a pleasure to be able to congratulate Mayor Jaworsky, council members and the incredibly dedicated staff on this truly auspicious achievement. On behalf of the WCCD, I look forward to working with you all as you continue to build a smarter, more resilient, sustainable, prosperous and inclusive future." 

"All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” said the federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna. “Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, in partnership with the World Council on City Data, we've been helping municipal leaders in a number of communities across Canada do just that. I am delighted that Waterloo has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data, this will help the City plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities." 

Having achieved this certification, the city will take the next few months to examine the data. As part of the strategic plan update later this year, staff will update Council and the community on how the city compares against others on the ISO 37120 indicators, and how this will help measure our performance going forward.

Media contact
Cari Howard
Manager, Corporate Communications
cari.howard@waterloo.ca 

City of Kitchener Receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification

   



(Visit the following link to view this release on the City of Kitchener's Website) 

City of Kitchener joins world-class cities with WCCD platinum-level ISO data certification.

Monday, September 14, 2020

Earlier today, the City of Kitchener joined the World Council on City Data (WCCD) Global Network of over 100 cities across 35 countries to officially receive the ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification. This international recognition is awarded to cities that reach the highest standard in collecting, sharing, and using data to effectively make decisions. Reporting over 90 of the 104 indicators within the WCCD administered ISO 37120 – the first international standard for city data – the City of Kitchener is now among a select group of global cities reporting at this highest, platinum level. Kitchener’s participation in this transformative, Canada-wide initiative was supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities, through the WCCD’s “Data for Canadian Cities Project.”

Kitchener city council was joined by Mr. Andy Fillmore, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and WCCD President and CEO Dr. Patricia McCarney to recognize Kitchener’s certification by the WCCD as part of an initiative to collect, share, and use data to inform City decision making. Access to the WCCD Global Network allows the City to share local experiences but also understand how cities around the world are tackling similar issues.

Kitchener joins one hundred cities around the world in measuring indicators like air quality, electricity use, how close people are to public services, and population density. This data will be used to assess how cities are tackling challenges like climate change and identify the solutions that are working well. 

"All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” said Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna. “Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, in partnership with the World Council on City Data, we've been helping municipal leaders in communities across Canada do just that. I am delighted that Kitchener has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data, this will help the City plan projects with quality data and will help guide evidence-based decision-making. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds stronger communities."

"I am so pleased to congratulate the City of Kitchener on your WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification and to welcome the City into the WCCD Global Network, alongside 100 cities across over 35 countries," stated Dr. McCarney. "The City of Kitchener is well known for its nimble and inventive approach to addressing local challenges and opportunities. Under the leadership of Mayor Vrbanovic, Kitchener is also a global example of how localizing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals can contribute to a more sustainable planet for all of us. Now armed with ISO 37120 data, I do not doubt that the City, under the Mayor's far-sighted leadership, will continue to create a more sustainable, prosperous, resilient, inclusive, and smart city for all Kitchener's residents, while contributing to a critical global dialogue."

Participating in this global dialogue means Kitchener will benefit from the expertise of leading global experts working with the project. Other cities can also access the data provided by Kitchener and other cities to identify the practices and policies that have the biggest impact. It will take several months to generate these recommendations, but Kitchener has already been identified as a city for others to emulate.

“Cities around the world are facing similar challenges,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “We’re always eager to learn from the success stories of other cities, and participation with the World Council on City Data means that the top minds in disciplines like economics, land use planning, and sustainability will work with the data we provide and offer their insight. The work we’ve done to operationalize our climate goals throughout City services is something other cities will learn from, and I’m excited to learn as much in return.”

The City of Kitchener received its certification alongside the City of Waterloo, in its participation in the Data for Canadian Cities Project., joining the City of Cambridge which obtained WCCD ISO certification in 2016, in its participation in the Data for Canadian Cities Project. Staff had already begun compiling data about many of the WCCD’s indicators during their work to develop transparent metrics for success towards the goals of the City’s strategic plan. The City’s 2019-2022 Strategic Plan mapped community priorities against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, many of which align with the WCCD’s indicators.


For more information about the World Council on City Data (WCCD) and the certification, visit  dataforcities.org


For more information:

Shawn Falcao

Manager, Corporate Communications and Marketing

shawn.falcao@kitchener.ca  


James Patava

VP of Public Affairs & International Relations

World Council on City Data (WCCD)

James.Patava@globalcities.ca


About the WCCD

Since 2014, the WCCD – a Toronto-based not-for-profit organization – has been working with cities globally to embrace standardized city data to inform better decision-making and to drive public and private investment in cities of all sizes. As part of a funded agreement with the Government of Canada, the WCCD is working with fifteen municipalities across Canada to help them become certified under ISO 37120, the first international standard for city data. This three-year project assists the participating cities in obtaining WCCD’s ISO 37120 Certification. As the Project continues into Year 2 and 3, a significant focus is being placed on assisting the participating municipalities in using the data to improve city services and quality of life for citizens.


About the ISO 37120 standard


The WCCD administered ISO 37120 is a globally standardized data set that measures quality of life and delivery of municipal services, and its creation was primarily spearheaded by Canadian urban leaders. The data within ISO 37120 enables Canadian municipalities to compare their progress with their counterparts across the country and around the world, according to nineteen city service and quality of life thematic areas. These themes include the environment, economy, education, governance, finance, transportation, recreation, and health, amongst others. Data compiled through this project supports municipalities to better plan and implement infrastructure investments and measure the impacts of those investments on economic prosperity and the quality of life of their residents.