Hamilton has been selected by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) as one of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, worldwide.

The Top7 Intelligent Communities represent models of economic and social transformation in the 21st century. They are not necessarily the most advanced technology centres, the most wired cities or the fastest growing economies in the world, but each demonstrates best practices in broadband deployment and use, workforce development, innovation, digital inclusion and advocacy that offer lessons to regions, cities, towns and villages around the world. They are creating new paths to lasting prosperity for their residents, businesses and institutions.

Hamilton’s application highlighted innovative partnerships and initiatives including the Mayor’s Intelligent Community Task Force, world leading research done by McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences, and Mohawk College, new delivery models for education and healthcare, as well as the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s Digital Infrastructure Task Force work.

It also provided information about local post-secondary institutions, community programs and public-private partnerships and collaborations such as Hamilton’s new co-creation hub, CityLAB, a formal partnership between the City, McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer that brings together academics, students and civic leaders to solve City challenges. Parts of the submission also leveraged the data that was brought together to support the Amazon proposal.

In June 2018, one of the Top7 will be named ICF’s Intelligent Community of the Year, based on a second round of analysis, site visits by ICF’s co-founders and the votes of an international jury.