Thursday, 24 June 2021

Richmond Hill Achieves Platinum City Data Certification for Second Year

   

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


June 24, 2021

RICHMOND HILL – The City of Richmond Hill has earned the highest level of ISO 37120 certification from the World Council on City Data (WCCD) for the second year in a row as part of the “Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project”.

ISO 37120 is the first ISO standard developed especially for cities. The standard contains 104 fully numeric indicators, across 19 themes, and measures city services and quality of life. In year two of the pilot project funded by Canada’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities, Richmond Hill has once again achieved platinum level certification by reporting on 90 of the 104 indicators within ISO 37120. Following submission, Richmond Hill’s 90 indicators underwent independent third-party verification.

Through its participation, the City is part of a global network of 100 cities across more than 30 countries – including a network of 30 Canadian cities of all sizes. While the first year focused on collecting standard indicators, in the second year, Richmond Hill is now able to begin measuring its progress over time, assess performance and learn from other cities locally and globally using an “apples-to-apples” comparison.

Quotes

“Our platinum certification demonstrates our commitment to using data to help us provide exceptional public service to our community while always striving to improve. WCCD data shows that Richmond Hill is leading from the front on many indicators, such as bicycle lanes, low greenhouse gas levels city-wide and percentage of our population that are immigrants. The ability to measure our progress and compare our fine City to others around the globe is an important part of ensuring quality of life remains high in Richmond Hill.”   - Joe DiPaola, Acting Mayor

“Congratulations to Acting Mayor Joe DiPaola, City Council, and your dedicated and talented staff for achieving WCCD ISO 37120 certification at the highest platinum-level for the second consecutive year. As data-driven insights through year-over-year certification start to build, I do not doubt that the City of Richmond Hill will harness these insights to drive positive change for a more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future for your City. The WCCD looks forward to supporting you in that process for many years to come.”   - Dr. Patricia McCarney, WCCD President and CEO

Quick Facts

  • ISO 37120 Sustainable Cities and Communities – Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life is an internationally-recognized certification. It uses 104 standardized indicators, across 19 themes, to measure a city's social, economic and environmental performance.
  • 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.

 

Media Contact
Libbi Hood, Communications Advisor
libbi.hood@richmondhill.ca  

Thursday, 10 June 2021

City of Mississauga Achieves WCCD’s Early Adopter ISO Certification on Data for Smart Cities

   

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



June 9. 2021

The World Council on City Data (WCCD) has awarded the City of Mississauga with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 37122 Indicators for Smart Cities Certification. As an early adopter, Mississauga is one of the first cities globally and the only Canadian municipality to achieve this new certification.

The City joins approximately 10 cities worldwide who will achieve Early Adopter Certification in 2021.

ISO 37122 includes a comprehensive set of standardized indicators created to support smart city initiatives worldwide. These indicators help cities globally assess smart city development while determining the best solutions to drive improved service delivery to citizens.

The City was evaluated against the WCCD’s set of 80 indicators. These measure a city’s ability to build open, high quality data that is independently verified and comparable with other cities. ISO 37122 contains internationally-standardized indicators that measure progress, drive smart city investment and city-to-city learning and create tools for year-over-year benchmarking.

Organizations that provided data as part of the evaluation include the Region of Peel, Statistics Canada, Government of Ontario, Trillium Health Partners and Credit Valley Conservation.

An independent third party reviewed the City’s data to ensure it was consistent.

Background

The WCCD was founded in Canada in 2014. The WCCD helps cities adopt internationally-recognized standards for their data, enabling them to make decisions that are data-driven and become more sustainable, safe and resilient, prosperous and inclusive.

WCCD has led the development and implementation of the WCCD ISO 37120 Series on City Data. The series includes ISO 37120 – Indicators for Sustainable Cities, ISO 37122 – Indicators for Smart Cities and ISO 37123 – Indicators for Resilient Cities.

Consisting of eighty entirely numeric indicators across nineteen themes, the data contained within ISO 37122 supports decisions on critical issues such as transportation, health, education, housing, telecommunications and urban planning.

This is the second ISO certification issued by the WCCD for the City, having received ISO 37120 platinum-level certification for Sustainable Cities in 2018.

WCCD is now helping 100 cities in 35 countries to become ISO certified across three standards.

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

City of Brampton receives World Council on City Data platinum-level ISO data certification

   

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

BRAMPTON, ON (February 17, 2021) – Today, the World Council on City Data (WCCD) announced that the City of Brampton has received ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification, the highest standard in collecting, sharing, and using data to effectively make decisions.

Joined by area MPs on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Members of City Council, WCCD welcomed the City to its Global Network of over 100 cities across 35 countries that have received WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification. The City reported over 90 of the 104 indicators within WCCD's ISO 37120 standard, as part of the Government of Canada supported Data for Canadian Cities Project (DCCP).

As a member of the WCCD Global Network, the City will share local experiences and benchmark against other data-driven cities across the world to improve services and the quality of life of residents. Brampton will, with its WCCD Global Network partners, measure social, economic and environmental indicators to continue to build a smart, sustainable, resilient, prosperous and inclusive community.

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

About the Data for Canadian Cities Project
 
Equipping city leaders across Canada with high-caliber, comparable, and independently verified municipal data, the Data for Canadian Cities Project is a transformative, three-year, Canada-wide project that is currently underway in fifteen data-driven municipalities across the country. Supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities, the Project provides city leaders with the kind of data they need to make important decisions, but also strengthens internal benchmarking, while enabling robust, apples-to-apples comparisons with thirty cities across Canada, and one hundred cities worldwide. From strengthening sustainability planning to driving economic development to achieving climate-change objectives, and informing critical investment decisions, the Data for Canadian Cities Project offers municipal decision-makers across the country the essential data that they need to create smarter, more sustainable, resilient, prosperous and inclusive communities.

Quotes

“Brampton is a Well-Run City, and we are building an inclusive community that is safe, sustainable and successful. Working with our network of over 100 global partners who are ISO 37120 Platinum-level certified, we will share our local experiences and learn from similarly data-driven cities to improve quality of life for not only Bramptonians, but people across Canada. I am incredibly proud that Brampton has been recognized for our high standard of data, and look forward to working with other WCCD platinum-level cities to build smart, sustainable and successful communities.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
 
“Data is essential to making effective decisions for our residents, and collaboration and benchmarking allow us to continue to learn from our partners to build a city that is safe, sustainable and successful.  As part of the elite WCCD Global Network, we will have the opportunity to share what we know in Brampton, and learn from our partners to improve the lives of those in Brampton and across Canada. We are proud to be recognized by the World Council on City Data, and will use this opportunity to continue to improve our sustainability and drive economic development in our great community.”
- Harkirat Singh, Chair, Corporate Services; City Councillor, Wards 9 & 10, City of Brampton

“At the City of Brampton, we are constantly striving to improve our day-to-day operations through data-driven decision-making, effectively managing municipal assets and leveraging partnerships for collaboration and advocacy to improve the lives of our residents. Brampton continues to be a global leader recognized through our ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification, which advances Council’s priority of being a Well-Run City for our residents.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

“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 Pilot 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 Brampton 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 Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"On behalf of the World Council on City Data, it is my pleasure to congratulate the City of Brampton on achieving WCCD's ISO 37120 Platinum Certification. This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of your excellent staff and a reflection of the Council's commitment to evidence-based decision-making. With applications from improved service delivery to economic development, planning and infrastructure investment, the City's ISO-certified data demonstrates Brampton's strengths and opportunities for development. Through our partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities and Minister McKenna, we look forward to working with the City of Brampton through the remaining year of the Data for Canadian Cities Project, and beyond."
- Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO, WCCD


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As one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, Brampton is home to 650,000 people and 70,000 businesses. People are at the heart of everything we do. We are energized by our diverse communities, we attract investment, and we are embarking on a journey to lead technological and environmental innovation. We partner for progress to build a healthy city that is safe, sustainable and successful. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Learn more at www.brampton.ca.


MEDIA CONTACT
Megan Ball
Senior Advisor, Media Relations, City of Brampton
905.874.2143 | megan.ball@brampton.ca

Tuesday, 15 December 2020

Charlottetown joins the WCCD Network at the Highest, Platinum Level

   

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


December 15, 2020


The City of Charlottetown is pleased to announce that the City has received World Council on City Data (WCCD) ISO 37120 Platinum Certification. Charlottetown is now among a select group of 100 cities in a global network that have reported over 90 of the 104 indicators within WCCD’s ISO 37120 standard for city data. The City has thus reached the highest standard available in collecting, distributing, and employing data to make efficient decisions at the municipal level.

At a certification ceremony on Monday, December 14th, the WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney presented Council with the WCCD Certification. She was also joined by Mr. Sean Casey, MP. Mr. Casey represented Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Hon. Catherine McKenna. This recognition, and the WCCD initiative, was made possible thanks to the support of the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities through the “Data for Canadian Cities Project.”
“COVID-19 has underlined the importance of making decisions based on data and accurate facts,” said Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown. “With the world as unpredictable as it is, this certification will allow us to harness standardized, globally comparable, and independently verified municipal data to address global challenges. By committing to evidence-based and data-driven decision-making, we reaffirm our commitment to making Charlottetown a more sustainable, smart, resilient and inclusive city for all residents.”

The Data for Canadian Cities Project support has permitted cities like Charlottetown to compare their data to other cities as well as establish important milestones for efficiency and growth. The data accumulated during the pilot project will permit City Council to efficiently measure and communicate tangible information about the results of its policy decisions, as well as assist in aligning the municipality with provincial, national, or even international areas of priority such as climate change, prosperity, and inclusivity.

“As the WCCD network grows across Canada – and specifically across Atlantic Canada – we are so pleased to be able to welcome Charlottetown into our global network of data driven cities. The commitment of Mayor Brown and Council to a more data-informed, sustainable, smart and inclusive future for Charlottetown’s residents is only underscored by this important, WCCD ISO Platinum Certification,” said Dr. McCarney, speaking at the Certification Ceremony. “As we continue this important work with the City, we look forward to working with you even more closely in applying the WCCD indicators to your strategic planning process, but also working with you to use this very high calibre and globally standardized data for a wide variety of applications - from economic development to climate change mitigation to infrastructure planning. I very much look forward to the time that we can meet in person, and to discuss all of these exciting opportunities.”

“All communities, large and small, need good data to plan and build modern public infrastructure,” stated The Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “Meeting global data standards is critical. Through the Data for Canadian Cities Pilot 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 Charlottetown has obtained the ISO standard for municipal data, which 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."

Charlottetown has now joined one hundred cities around the world in measuring and reporting data that gives an accurate portrait of a city’s quality of life. These indicators include factors such as air quality, access to education, energy consumption, waste management, active transportation, food security, and so on. With two years of verified data preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, WCCD certification will provide the City of Charlottetown with benchmarks to work towards through the recovery period ahead.
Having received this certification, the City can now begin an exciting chapter of this project, which is to find ways to put this data to use. This includes comparing Charlottetown with other cities across the globe on the ISO 37120 indicators, as well as incorporating the data into the Council decision-making process.

Tuesday, 24 November 2020

The County of Brant Officially Awarded the World Council on City Data ISO 37120 Platinum Certification

   

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


November 24, 2020

Last evening, County of Brant Council was awarded the impressive World Council on City Data (WCCD) ISO 37120 Platinum Certification and joined the World Council on City Data Global Network. Representing the highest level of certification possible, the County of Brant receives this recognition as part of the Data for Canadian Cities Project, supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities. The County of Brant was chosen as one of fifteen municipalities in Canada to participate in this federally funded program.

During the virtual Council meeting, the President and CEO of WCCD, Dr. Patricia McCarney and Vice President of Public Affairs and International Relations, James Patava were on hand to present this prestigious award to County of Brant Council.

This international recognition is awarded to municipalities 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 County of Brant is now among a select group of global municipalities reporting at this highest, platinum level. Within Canada, the WCCD network includes a group of thirty cities, of all sizes, from coast to coast to coast, and a further network of 100 cities globally.

Achieving this certification allows the County of Brant to build new tools and systems to enhance decision making, track progress and compare past performance, year by year, supported by the WCCD. As well, the County of Brant has joined a global network where we can compare, collaborate and learn by sharing performance, solutions and progress with other WCCD ISO certified cities worldwide.

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

 
Quotes:

“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. I am delighted that the County of Brant 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 Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

 "On behalf of the WCCD, it is a privilege to award the County of Brant with this highest, Platinum-level of WCCD ISO 37120 Certification. With a focus on its history and a thriving arts and culture scene, Brant is a shining example of a community that embraces its history and culture while equally embracing data to drive sustainable progress and measurable change in services delivered to your citizens and improving quality of life across your community. Congratulations to Mayor Bailey, the Council, and of course, the dedicated staff on this impressive accomplishment. We look forward to working with you for many years to come."

- Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of WCCD

 “The County of Brant is a great community and we are always working to improve. We are proud to join a network of thirty Canadian cities and one hundred cities around the world. The County of Brant is among a growing group of smaller communities in Canada and worldwide embracing this Certification. It is our belief that data to drive decision making is as critical to smaller communities as it is to larger cities such as Toronto, Boston or Dubai. Being part of the global city data collaborative allows us to globally compare our municipality to others around the world which enhances our ability to make more informed decisions impacting our community’s long-term social, economic and environmental health.” – Mayor David Bailey, County of Brant



Tuesday, 27 October 2020

MAYOR BEVILACQUA: VAUGHAN AWARDED PLATINUM CERTIFICATION FROM WORLD COUNCIL ON CITY DATA

   

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


October 27, 2020

The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua after a special presentation during the Oct. 21 Council meeting:  

“The City of Vaughan has been awarded Platinum ISO 37120 certification for 2017 and 2018 from the World Council on City Data (WCCD). This is the highest level of certification from the WCCD, which is a global leader on standardized data that helps to create smart, sustainable, resilient, and prosperous cities. 
 
“The City of Vaughan has also become an early adopter of ISO 37122 – Indicators for Smart Cities. Once completed, Vaughan will be among the first cities globally certified under this new, demand-driven, smart city standard. 
 
“The World Council on City Data continues to champion the belief that globally comparable data is the essential starting point for innovation, global exchange and smart city development. The global organization hosts a network of innovative cities committed to improving services and the quality of life using open city-data. It also provides a consistent and comprehensive platform for standardized urban metrics. 
 
“In May 2015, the City of Vaughan became a WCCD Certified City. I was pleased to attend the 2017 WCCD Global Cities Summit in Dubai on behalf of the City of Vaughan. Collectively, we share a mandate to build smart, sustainable, inclusive and prosperous cities of the future. I remain committed to this mission.  
 
“The City of Vaughan is dynamic, vibrant, and one of Canada’s fastest-growing municipalities.  Major city-building initiatives, including the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and the VMC subway, will continue to benefit from this data sharing partnership. 
 
“In 2018, we established the Mayor’s Smart City Advisory Task Force to focus on creating enhanced opportunities by improving the way data is collected, understood and utilized to safeguard and elevate the quality of life for citizens as well as improve the delivery of public services people and businesses rely on each day.
 
“In November 2019, I was proud to lead the City of Vaughan’s delegation to Israel. Advancing a Smart City agenda was at the heart of our work in this important international market. We held discussions with representatives from Fuel Choices and Smart Mobility Initiative – a project led by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. Our delegation also met with researchers at Tel Aviv University, the country's largest post-secondary institution, to discuss the future of Smart City technology and its role in developing autonomous vehicles to improve urban transportation.
 
“As we look toward the future, we will remain unwavering in our efforts to build a safe, welcoming and engaged city where all people are given every opportunity possible to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. From improving infrastructure and roads to recreation and healthcare, taking a Smart City approach to our work is fundamental to delivering efficient, reliable and innovative city-building.
 
“I am pleased to offer my sincere congratulations to our administration and specifically, to the Transformation and Strategy team for their leadership, passion and dedication to this initiative. This is a remarkable achievement of which you should be very proud.”

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Greater Sudbury Receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification

   

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


October 13, 2020

The City of Greater Sudbury is pleased to receive Platinum Certification by the World Council on City Data (WCCD), the highest certification level offered by the Canada-based, global leader in standardized city data, creating smart, sustainable, resilient and prosperous cities. The certification positions the City to compare best practices with award winning cities, on a global level, to further strengthen existing municipal benchmarking efforts to measure the performance of the 58 lines of service offered to the community.  

“I am so proud that we have achieved such a high level of recognition for our work, which directly supports the commitment City Council has made to transparency and accountability through open government,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger. “In these uncertain times, having this data available to us will better position City Council to develop strategic and effective plans to support our residents and the future of our community. We will continue to support initiatives that reinforce and support our leadership in this field, both on a national and international level.”

The City joined the WCCD in January 2020, through the Data for Canadian Cities Project, supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities. This three-year pilot project includes the collection of 104 globally standardised, comparable and independently verified indicators. Joining the WCCD Global Network aligns Greater Sudbury with almost 100 cities across the world, including 30 across Canada, all committed to leveraging city level data to improve service delivery and quality of life. Greater Sudbury received the certification by reporting over 90 of the 104 indicators, including all 46 core indicators, across 19 themes ranging from public safety to recreation. 

“Local governments are great at sharing information that helps share knowledge about how services can work better or cost less. Demands for our services aren’t going down, so to sustain affordable service levels we need to learn as much as we can from people that have already traveled the same road to effectively map out strong plans for the future,” said Ed Archer, City of Greater Sudbury, Chief Administrative Officer. “Our participation in the World Council on City Data produces important insights that help Council make decisions and provides assurance our services remain affordable, efficient and effective.”

The WCCD three-year pilot project, ISO 37120 Sustainable Development of Communities: Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life, uses a variety of standards including MBNCanada benchmarking data combined with data from the Provincial and Federal governments, including Statistics Canada, to develop a thorough profile of the City’s quality of life. 

"Greater Sudbury is such a vibrant regional hub for financial and business services, tourism, health care and research, education and government for Northeastern Ontario. Additionally, the City is an example throughout Canada and globally in its use of city data to support excellent service delivery, focusing on its residents' quality of life,” said Dr. Patricia McCarney, WCCD President and CEO. “In recognition of this commitment, it is my pleasure to congratulate Mayor Bigger, City Council, and the truly dedicated City Staff on their WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification. Through the three-year “Data for Canadian Cities Project” supported by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities, the WCCD looks forward to offering you our ongoing support in your commitment towards becoming even more data-focused while prioritizing sustainability, resilience, inclusivity and prosperity for the residents of Greater Sudbury." 

“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,” said the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities. “I am delighted that Greater Sudbury 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 WCCD pilot project adds to the complement of benchmarking activities currently in place for Greater Sudbury, including participation in the Annual BMA Study and Municipal Benchmarking Network Canada (MBNCan). 

More information on the City’s benchmarking and performance measurement practices can be found at greatersudbury.ca/benchmarking. 

To learn more about the WCCD, visit dataforcities.org.