Township of Langley Named a Smart21 Community in 2021

The Township of Langley has been named as a Smart21 Community - one of the top 21 intelligent communities from around the world, according to the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). The announcement was made at the conclusion of a virtual conference hosted this week by the Township of Langley and the City of Maple Ridge.

The ICF selected its Smart21 based on quantitative and qualitative data related to six critical factors of its ICF Method. These include connect, work, innovate, engage, include, and sustain. The data was reviewed by a global team of analysts, and the Smart21 designation points to a community’s competitiveness in economic, social, and cultural terms.

The Township’s ICF Smart21 application showcased several of the municipality’s many different strategic initiatives, including its Sustainability Charter, Agriculture Viability Strategy, Public Engagement Charter, and the Climate Action Strategy adopted earlier this year. It also recognized the work of other community stakeholders like the Fraser Valley Regional Library and School District 35. The information was compiled in a successful submission developed by the Township’s Economic Investment and Development department.

“The Township has a long history of establishing forward-thinking strategies that align incredibly well with the ICF method,” said Mayor Jack Froese. “Being showcased as a Smart21 intelligent community recognizes the truly amazing framework of guiding documents that has been developed over the years by Township staff with the support of Council.”

In conjunction with the ICF event, the Township hosted its Codathon: CodingMatters where it asked participants to dream up great ideas and build prototype technology-based solutions to challenges that align with one of five themes that are of strategic interest for the Township.

During the ICF conference, the Township presented the top-five Codathon prototypes and demonstrated how they aligned with many key Township strategies. The three winning entries focused on innovations that improve citizen engagement, calculate a person’s carbon footprint, and help connect farmers with consumers to reduce local food waste. More details on the winners are available at tol.ca/codingmatters.

The ICF’s mission is to help make everyone’s “hometown” a great place. It represents a global movement of 180 cities, metro regions, and counties with a think tank that studies and promotes best practices among the world’s Intelligent Communities as they adapt to demands and embrace opportunities presented by information and communications technology.

You can learn more about the ICF at intelligentcommunity.org.