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Fredericton On List Of Top 21 Intelligent Communities
Fredericton, NB - Fredericton has once again been named to the Intelligent Community Forum's (ICF) Smart21 list, Mayor Brad Woodside announced this morning.
"Being selected to the Smart21 is recognition that we are using technology to take full advantage of the digital age to increase our prosperity," said Mayor Brad Woodside. "We have been recognized for our self-sustaining programs, smart growth and green development and the entire City can take pride in this honour."
Fredericton joins 20 other communities from 14 different countries on the list, including: Asland Oregon; Dublin, Ohio; Northeast Ohio; Westchester County, New York; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Barceloneta, Puerto Rico; Capetown South Africa; Doha, Qatar; Dundee, Scotland; Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Seoul, South Korea; Hwa Seong Dong Tan, South Korea; Gold Coast City, Australia; Hammarby Sjostad, Sweden; Hyderabad, India; Isle of Man, UK; the country of Malta; and Tallinn, Estonia. Only two other Canadian cities made the list, Edmonton and Vancouver.
This year for the first time, the selection committee gave extra consideration to communities that have undertaken environmentally-conscious programs. Fredericton has taken a leadership role in reducing greenhouse gases both in the municipality and in the community through its Green Matters Campaign and is working toward its goal of becoming the first city in Canada to reach Kyoto greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
The selection committee also noted that Fredericton was recently named the "smartest in North America" by Cisco, one of the world's top networking companies. Cisco helped the city roll out the Fred-E zone, a free, city-wide wireless network. Fredericton was also cited for its goal "to use broadband to enhance "e-democracy" for a new generation of citizens."
The Smart21 were selected from hundreds of candidates and submissions from communities large and small beginning last July. Making the list is the first step in the selection of the ICF's annual Intelligent Community of the Year award. The list will be narrowed to seven in January 2008 and the Intelligent Community of the Year will be named in New York City May 16, 2008.
This is the second time Fredericton has made the Smart21 list. It was also selected in 2006. Last year's Intelligent Community of the Year winner was Waterloo, Ontario.
The ICF is a non-profit think tank that studies the impact of broadband and related technologies on the creation of prosperous local economies and cultures across the globe.
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Media Contact: John White, Communications, City of Fredericton 506-460-2227.
