Thursday, 14 July 2022

MARKHAM RECEIVES WCCD PLATINUM-LEVEL ISO DATA CERTIFICATION THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

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


July 14, 2022

The City of Markham is thrilled to receive the ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification from the World Council on City Data (WCCD) for the third consecutive year, as part of the three-year Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities.

With three years of data, and the City’s commitment to continuing its work with the WCCD, Markham joins more than 30 Canadian cities and 100 cities globally – who are collecting, sharing and using data to make effective and transformative decisions.

Having established a baseline of data for the past two years, the City of Markham will be able to start assessing service delivery and quality of life to drive forward key policies.

“The City of Markham is honoured to be awarded the highest level of WCCD ISO 37120 certification for the third consecutive year,” said Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “We are proud to join a distinct list of world cities that share information to build more resilient, vibrant and livable cities. We look forward to continuing to use the data to support decision making and collaborate.”

ISO 37120 is the first ISO standard developed especially for cities. It contains 104 fully numeric indicators across 19 themes, and measures City services and quality of life using a common international standard.

“On behalf of the WCCD, it is a pleasure to congratulate the City of Markham on its third consecutive WCCD ISO 37120 Certification at the highest Platinum level,” said Dr. Patricia McCarney, WCCD President and CEO. “Working with Council and Staff, I look forward to exploring how this three years of data continuity can be put to work and propel Markham forward as a data-driven city. As an active and prominent participant in WCCD’s Canadian and Global Network, the City stands out through its dedication to harnessing high caliber data to create a more prosperous, resilient, sustainable, inclusive and smart future for its residents and visitors.”

Markham originally joined the WCCD Canadian and Global Network of over 100 cities as part of the Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project. This certification marks the third and final year of this initial project.

The WCCD was founded in 2014 and helps communities of all sizes worldwide embrace standardized, independently verified and globally comparable city data to become more sustainable, resilient, prosperous, inclusive and smart.


Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Halifax Regional Municipality receives World Council on City Data Platinum Certification

  (Please visit the following link to view the original release on Halifax's website)    



July 12, 2022

The Halifax Regional Municipality has received ISO 37120 Platinum Certification from the World Council on City Data (WCCD).  This certification recognizes the high calibre of the Halifax Regional Municipality’s data, which is reflected in its reporting of 90 indicators in accordance with ISO 37120 for the 2020/21 fiscal year.

The WCCD is a non-profit organization that administers ISO 37120 – Sustainable Cities – the first globally comparative international standard on city indicators. There are over 100 cities currently certified, representing 40 countries with 30 Canadian cities having achieved Platinum Certification. 

“My Council colleagues and I are very pleased that the municipality has been awarded the highest level of certification from the WCCD. This achievement recognizes efforts by our professional staff to develop and use globally-recognized standards to drive and measure services that residents depend upon.” – Mayor Mike Savage

The globally standardized WCCD indicators allow for globally comparative benchmarking, enabling administration to continue making evidence-based decisions, while tracking progress against our peers.

"On behalf of the World Council on City Data, I am pleased to award Mayor Savage and the Halifax Regional Municipality with WCCD's ISO 37120 Certification, at the highest, Platinum level. As is clear from the municipality's exceptional performance across a wide array of indicators – and its dedicated, data-driven staff – Halifax is a leader in Canada and on the global stage. The WCCD looks forward to its continued work with the municipality as an important member of the WCCD Canadian and Global Network of data-driven cities." – WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney 

Of the WCCD indicators for the 2020/21 fiscal year, the municipality excelled in the following: 

  • Public outdoor recreation space: With its extensive range of outdoor recreation facilities and assets, the municipality ranks in the top tier of Canadian cities in the WCCD Network for the amount of outdoor recreation space per capita;
  • Public street lighting electricity consumption: Due to its significant commitment to energy efficiency and greening government operations, Halifax ranks among the top three of all cities in the WCCD Network for electricity consumption of public street lighting; and
  • Higher education degrees: Within the WCCD Network, the municipality demonstrates a highly educated workforce, ranking in the top 15 per cent of cities for higher education degrees.

WCCD certification benefits the municipality and staff by: 

  • Aiding in the measurement of performance of services and quality of life over time;
  • Providing standardized indicators, ensuring consistent and reliable data;
  • Allowing the municipality to compare performance to national and global peers;
  • Providing access to a network of Canadian and global cities for benchmarking and learning;
  • Supporting evidence-based decision-making for strategic planning, priority setting, investment attraction and economic development and policy development; and, 
  • Allowing employees to better understand organizational goals and objectives, and how their work contributes, as well as offering clear and consistent expectations.

In June 2020, municipal Corporate Planning & Performance (CPP) began the development of the Corporate Performance Management Program (CPMP), to establish a systematic approach to planning, as well as track progress toward the municipality’s Strategic and Administrative Priority Outcomes. Participation in WCCD allows the municipality to assess performance compared to other jurisdictions.

Over the past year, CPP has worked with internal business units, as well as external partners such as Nova Scotia Power, Halifax Water, Province of Nova Scotia, and Halifax Partnership, to compile the data to support certification. Several of these indicators have been incorporated into the Strategic Performance Snapshot

The platinum certification was presented by WCCD to Regional Council virtually during the Council meeting on Tuesday, July 12. 

To learn more, read the World Council on City Data (WCCD) information report or visit the WCCD website

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La Municipalité régionale d’Halifax a reçu la certification platine ISO 37120 par le World Council on City Data (WCCD). Cette certification reconnaît le haut calibre des données de la Municipalité régionale d’Halifax, qui se reflète dans sa déclaration de 90 indicateurs conformément à la norme ISO 37120 pour l’exercice 2020-2021.

Le WCCD est une organisation à but non lucratif qui administre ISO 37120 – Villes durables – la première norme internationale comparative mondiale sur les indicateurs des villes. Il y a plus de 100 villes actuellement certifiées, représentant 40 pays dont 30 villes canadiennes ont obtenu la certification platine. 

« Mes collègues du Conseil et moi-même sommes très heureux que la municipalité ait reçu le plus haut niveau de certification du WCCD. Cette réalisation reconnaît les efforts déployés par notre personnel professionnel pour élaborer et utiliser des normes mondialement reconnues pour stimuler et mesurer les services dont dépendent les résidents. » - Le maire Mike Savage

Les indicateurs normalisés à l’échelle mondiale du WCCD permettent une évaluation comparative globale, permettant à l’administration de continuer à prendre des décisions fondées sur des données probantes, tout en suivant les progrès par rapport à nos pairs.

« Au nom du World Council on City Data, je suis heureux de décerner au maire Savage et à la Municipalité régionale d’Halifax la certification ISO 37120 la plus élevée du WCCD, le niveau platine. Comme le montre clairement le rendement exceptionnel de la municipalité sur un large éventail d’indicateurs – et son personnel dévoué et axé sur les données – Halifax est un chef de file au Canada et sur la scène mondiale. Le WCCD attend avec impatience de poursuivre ses travaux avec la municipalité en tant que membre important du réseau canadien et mondial des villes axées sur les données de WCCD. » - présidente et chef de la direction du WCCD, Mme Patricia McCarney, Ph. D. 

Parmi les indicateurs du WCCD pour l’exercice 2020-2021, la municipalité a excellé dans les domaines suivants : 

  • Espaces récréatifs extérieurs publics : Grâce à sa vaste gamme d’installations et d’actifs de loisirs extérieurs, la municipalité se classe au premier rang des villes canadiennes du réseau WCCD pour la quantité d’espaces récréatifs extérieurs par habitant;
  • Consommation d’électricité pour l’éclairage des voies publiques : En raison de son engagement important à l’égard de l’efficacité énergétique et de l’écologisation des opérations gouvernementales, Halifax se classe parmi les trois principales villes du réseau WCCD en ce qui concerne la consommation d’électricité pour l’éclairage des voies publiques;
  • Diplômes d’études supérieures : Au sein du réseau WCCD, la municipalité fait preuve d’une main-d’œuvre hautement qualifiée, se classant dans la tranche supérieure de 15 % des villes pour les diplômes d’études supérieures.

La certification du WCCD profite à la municipalité et au personnel en : 

  • aidant à mesurer le rendement des services et la qualité de vie au fil du temps;
  • fournissant des indicateurs normalisés qui assurent la cohérence et la fiabilité des données;
  • permettant à la municipalité de comparer son rendement à celui de ses pairs nationaux et mondiaux;
  • donnant accès à un réseau de villes canadiennes et mondiales pour l’évaluation comparative et l’apprentissage;
  • appuyant la prise de décisions fondées sur des données probantes pour la planification stratégique, l’établissement des priorités, l’attraction des investissements, le développement économique et l’élaboration de politiques; 
  • permettant aux employés de mieux comprendre les buts et les objectifs de l’organisation et la façon dont leur travail contribue. Elle offre également des attentes claires et cohérentes.

En juin 2020, le Service de la planification et du rendement organisationnels de la municipalité a commencé à élaborer le Programme de gestion du rendement organisationnel afin d’établir une approche systématique de la planification et de suivre les progrès réalisés en vue des résultats stratégiques et administratifs prioritaires de la municipalité. La participation au WCCD permet à la municipalité d’évaluer le rendement par rapport à d’autres administrations.

Au cours de la dernière année, le Service de la planification et du rendement institutionnels a collaboré avec des unités opérationnelles internes, ainsi qu’avec des partenaires externes comme Nova Scotia Power, Halifax Water, la province de la Nouvelle-Écosse et le Partenariat d’Halifax, afin de compiler les données à l’appui de la certification. Plusieurs de ces indicateurs ont été intégrés à l’Instantané du rendement stratégique

La certification platine a été présentée par le WCCD au Conseil régional virtuellement lors de la réunion du Conseil le mardi 12 juillet. 

Pour en savoir plus, lisez le rapport d’information du World Council on City Data (WCCD) ou consultez le site Web du WCCD. 

Wednesday, 18 May 2022

Thursday, 27 January 2022

City of Vaughan Receives Platinum Certification for Fifth Consecutive Year

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


January 27, 2022

​City awarded the highest level of certification from the global leader on standardized metrics for the fifth year

The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua after a special presentation during the Jan. 25 Council meeting:

"I am pleased to announce the City of Vaughan has been awarded Platinum ISO 37120 certification for 2019 from the World Council on City Data (WCCD). This is the highest level of certification from the WCCD – a global leader on standardized data that helps create smart, sustainable, resilient and prosperous cities. This is the fifth year that Vaughan has received this prestigious recognition, which is a testament to our administration's long-standing commitment to advance a robust and purposeful Smart City agenda. To attain this certification, Vaughan reported 90 key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure performance on City services and quality of life.

"The WCCD continues to champion the belief that globally comparable data is the essential starting point for innovation, widespread information exchange and Smart City development. Founded in Canada in 2014, the WCCD works to help cities and communities embrace ISO standardized city data that is independently verified and globally comparable to make data-driven decisions.

“In addition to the Platinum ISO 37120 certification, 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 in the world to be certified under this new Smart City standard. 

“Our track record dates back to May 2015, when the City of Vaughan officially became a World Council on City Data Certified City. Vaughan shares a mandate with other innovative municipalities worldwide to build smart, sustainable, inclusive and prosperous cities of the future. In 2018, we established the Mayor’s Smart City Advisory Task Force to focus on creating enhanced opportunities by improving how data is collected, understood and utilized to safeguard and elevate the quality of life for citizens. I am pleased to chair this task force that is working hard to increase economic competitiveness, advance data initiatives, foster innovation, and improve engagement with stakeholders, community groups and citizens. 

“Vaughan continues to seek new and meaningful ways to incorporate Smart City solutions into our ongoing city-building efforts. From improving infrastructure and roads to delivering recreation services and world-class healthcare, I believe that taking a Smart City approach is fundamental to achieving efficient, reliable and innovative city-building.

“I want to offer my sincere congratulations to the City’s Transformation and Strategy department for championing data-driven results through a Smart City mindset and to all members of our administration for their meaningful contributions. Collectively, we are making a positive difference in the lives of our residents, and, together, we will continue to unleash our city’s full potential and build upon Vaughan’s position as a global Smart City leader.”

Wednesday, 26 January 2022

WCCD Welcomes Municipality of North Grenville as a WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certified City

 (Please visit the following link to view the original release on the Municipality of North Grenville's website)  

January 26, 2022

The Municipality of North Grenville has been awarded ISO 37120 Platinum Certification for 2021 by the World Council on City Data (WCCD). The certification was presented to Council virtually during the regular Council meeting on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

With this accomplishment, North Grenville has achieved the highest level of certification, joining a select group of 100 data-driven cities worldwide including thirty cities across Canada. Through this WCCD ISO certification, North Grenville demonstrates its commitment to harnessing data to drive community-focused service delivery improvements.

“On behalf of Council, we are thrilled that North Grenville has been awarded the highest level of certification from the World Council on City Data. This achievement reflects the significant leadership offered by Municipal CAO Mr. Gary Dyke and his staff team to develop and use world-class standards to drive and measure our service delivery to community members,” highlighted Mayor Nancy Peckford. “In fact, Mr. Dyke may be the only Municipal CAO in Canada to ever lead the certification of two different Municipalities over his career.” 

“As one of the smallest communities globally to obtain WCCD’s ISO 37120 certification, the certification process revealed that the Municipality of North Grenville stands out for its extremely educated workforce, outstanding air quality and generous access to green space,” Mayor Peckford highlighted.

Key data points in which the community excelled across the WCCD Canadian and global network:

  • A highly educated population - North Grenville is a leader in Canada and the world with residents holding, collectively, more than 7,900 post-secondary degrees (48,021 per 100,000 thousand population);

  • A place to be active - With over 719 square metres per capita of outdoor recreation space, North Grenville has twice as much space as any other WCCD certified Canadian cities and ranks 2nd globally; only Reykjavík, Iceland has more outdoor recreation space than North Grenville;

  • Over 14,000 hectares of green space (private and public lands) throughout the municipality (82,427 hectares per 100,000 population) - North Grenville offers ample space for residents and visitors alike to enjoy a cost-effective way of keeping physically active while enjoying the great outdoors;

  • Air quality: North Grenville has better air quality than most other ISSO certified Canadian and International communities including Charlottetown PEI, Corner Brook NFLD, and Vila do Bispo Portugal.

  • Low total water consumption, with only 267 litres per capita used daily – which positions the community as both a leader in Canada and globally.

In her message to North Grenville Council, President and CEO of WCCD, Dr. Patricia McCarney noted:

“The WCCD is so pleased to welcome the Municipality of North Grenville to our Canadian and global network. The commitment of North Grenville to a more data-informed – and data-driven – future is underscored by achieving the highest, Platinum-level of WCCD ISO 37120 certification. Congratulations to Mayor Peckford, Council and the hard-working, dedicated staff led by CAO Gary Dyke, for this exemplary accomplishment.”

Access to WCCD Global Network allows the Municipality of North Grenville to collect, share, and better data to inform decision-making. It can measure the quality of life and service delivery using a common international standard, share local experiences, learn about policies that have the biggest impact, and track progress for the recently adopted Community Strategic Plan.

“The Municipality of North Grenville is consistently working to improve our overall operations through data-driven decision-making - and by leveraging partnerships for collaboration and advocacy to improve the lives of our residents. By receiving our ISO 37120 Platinum-level certification, we are becoming a leading municipality that will advance Council’s priorities and continue to make North Grenville a great place to live,” said CAO Gary Dyke.

For more information on the WCCD and the Platinum ISO 37120 certification, visit www.dataforcities.org. 


Tuesday, 21 December 2021

City of Amman Receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification (Arabic)

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



December 21, 2021

مندوباً عن رئيس لجنة امانة عمان تسلم نائبه المهندس زياد الريحاني ، اليوم الثلاثاء ، شهادة التقييس العالمية ISO 37120: 2016 /الدرجة البلاتينية الصادرة من المجلس العالمي لبيانات المدن (WCCD) ، والتي تعتبر أرفع الشهادات للمدن في إنتاج واعتماد المؤشرات الحضرية للمدن.

وأعرب الريحاني عن سعادته بحصول مدينة عمان على هذه الشهادة والتي تدعم مسيرة التنمية في عمان وتعزيز التزام المدينة بالتخطيط والإدارة والاستثمار القائم على البيانات ، و قياس الاداء لخدمات المدينة ، فضلاً عن المساهمة في الجهود لتحقيق اهداف التنمية المستدامة وربطها بالاهداف الوطنية والمؤسسة.

وتعد مدينة عمان من المدن القليلة التي حصلت على الدرجة البلاتينية في انتاج المؤشرات الحضرية ، ويعد المعيار الدوليISO 37120 المعيار الأول للمدن الذي نشرته المنظمة الدولية للتوحيد القياسي (ISO) في جنيف عام 2014 والخاص بمؤشرات المدن المستدامة.

وقال مدير المرصد الحضري في امانة عمان المهندس اكرم خريسات- عضو لجنة الخبراء لشمال غرب آسيا في المؤشرات القياسية- أن هدف المعيار الدولي هو اعتماد مؤشرات موحدة ذات جودة وموثوقية تمكن المدن من تقييم أدائها وقياس التقدم المتحقق، بالاضافة الى مقارنة نتائجها بالمدن الأخرى محلياً ودوليا، مما يساعد في توجيه السياسات والتخطيط الامثل في مختلف القطاعات، وتحديد أهداف المدن وفق أسس دولية، وتقديم بيانات يتخذ على ضوئها القرارات الفاعلة من قبل صانعي القرار .

وبين المهندس خريسات أن هذا المعيار يختص بجودة البيانات ودقتها وموثوقيتها ، كما يؤسس الى اعتماد منهجيات علمية لانتاج مجموعة من المؤشرات لتوجيه وقياس أداء خدمات المدن ونوعية الحياة فيها، بالاضافة الى التحقق من دقة عمل نظم الإدارات المختلفة .

وتسلم نائب رئيس لجنة الامانة المهندس زياد الريحاني شهادة التقييس العالمية ، من مدير دائرة المرصد الحضري المهندس أكرم خريسات نيابة عن الرئيس والمدير التنفيذي للمجلس العالمي لبيانات المدن WCCD البروفيسورة باتريشا ماكارني ٠


Monday, 22 November 2021

Ajman, UAE receives WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Certification & Commits to Pursuing ISO 37122 (Smart) and ISO 37123 (Resilient) Early Adopter Status


November 22, 2021

During a virtual certification ceremony, the WCCD President and CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney presented His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Ajman Executive Council, with the WCCD's ISO 37120 Platinum Certification. This highest level of certification follows Ajman's impressive efforts, following the reporting of over 90 of the 104 indicators within ISO 37120. 

"On behalf of the World Council on City Data, I am very pleased to present Ajman with WCCD ISO 37120 Platinum Level Certification. This highest level of WCCD certification demonstrates Ajman's commitment to a more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive future for its citizens," stated Dr. McCarney. Firstly, I want to congratulate His Highness Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi. Your leadership and commitment to this critical work are examples for cities worldwide. Additionally, I would like to extend congratulations to Dr. Hajar Saeed Al Hubaishi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ajman Statistics & Competitiveness Center and her entire team. This highest level of certification can be attributed to their dedication and commitment. As this important relationship between Ajman and the WCCD continues to grow, I look forward to our continued work together."

After thanking the WCCD for supporting the efforts of Ajman, His Highness also announced that Ajman will now pursue WCCD Early Adopter Certification under WCCD's ISO 37122 (Indicators for Smart Cities) and ISO 37123 (Indicators for Resilient). Once the Emirate has received all three certifications, it will be among a very small group of cities worldwide to achieve this accomplishment. 

This achievement comes as a continuation of the path of leadership and achievements pursued by the government of Ajman in applying the best global management practices. The Emirate also seeks to build strong and fruitful partnerships and cooperative relations in all fields and open prospects for mutual coordination globally by adopting an internationally approved framework that supports the Emirate's goals. 

The event received extensive media coverage in the UAE and across the Region. 


Read More (in Arabic):

عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية " آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة " الأعلى عالميا (albayan.ae)

بشهادة أيزو "البلاتينية".. عجمان مدينة عالمية مستدامة (al-ain.com)

بشهادة آيزو "البلاتينية".. عجمان مدينة عالمية مستدامة (masralyoum.net)

عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية ” آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة ” الأعلى عالميا – اخبار الامارات العاجلة (emaratyah.ae)

وكالة أنباء الإمارات - عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية " آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة " الأعلى عالميا (wam.ae)

عمار النعيمي يتسلم شهادة "آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة" (sharjah24.ae)

عمار النعيمي: عجمان تتقدم لنيل 3 مواصفات عالمية - صحيفة الاتحاد (alittihad.ae)

عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية " آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة " الأعلى عالميا - مسلمان تايمز (musalmantimes.com)

موقع الإماراتية | عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة الأعلى عالميا (nabd.com)

Alfajr News | Alfajr News | عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة الأعلى عالميا (alfajr-news.net)

عمار النعيمي يتسلم الشهادة البلاتينية “آيزو المدن المستدامة وجودة الحياة” الأعلى عالمياً – جريدة الوحدة (alwahdanews.ae)