Intelligent Communities
Durham Region Named Top 7 Intelligent Community
Durham Region has been named one of the top seven global Intelligent Communities of 2022 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). The ICF’s Top Seven list recognizes communities who exemplify best practices in broadband deployment, workforce development, innovation, digital inclusion and advocacy.
Durham’s booming growth, talent pool, leading academics, and excellent quality of life is why top investors from around the globe want to be here. We are proud to be recognized on a world stage for our work to support smarter, healthier, more equitable and sustainable communities.
Contact us to collaborate: IntelligentCommunities@durham.ca
Intelligent Communities Implementation
Implementation of the myDurham Intelligent Communities Plan improves economic competitiveness, engages citizens and increases connectivity.
Durham is leading the way in innovation, with initiatives such as the Regional Broadband Project; CityStudio Durham; the Durham Greener Homes project; and the myDurham 311 Smart Home Device Voice Service project.
Durham also offers a strong network of digital support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, with collaborative initiatives to connect businesses directly to customers, like the Downtowns of Durham and the Shop in Durham online marketplace.
Learn more about these projects and how they embody our vision for an Intelligent Region.
Durham Greener Homes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Region recognized early that in order effectively tackle a wicked problem like climate change, we were going to need to work with our partners. The ambitious Durham Home Energy Savings Program has been developed alongside municipal partners, energy utilities and financial institutions. The Program will leverage data from our partners to create an engaging digital platform that highlights customized energy savings opportunities, and will provide a Home Energy Coach service to answer residents’ questions along the way. We are excited to be on this journey to a low carbon Region. |
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myDurham 311 |
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myDurham 311 is a transformational project aimed at improving the customer experience across all channels. This project will ensure service is always available and accessible. Customers will access support and information at the time that is right for them and in the manner they prefer. As the program rolls out, it will expand across all Durham municipalities.
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Primary Care Outreach Program |
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The Primary Care Outreach Program was developed in response to support residents who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. A paramedic provides acute medical care and the social worker provides counselling and support services. Through virtual assessments and connection to nurses and doctors, vulnerable individuals can receive treatment they might not have previously. This program ensures all residents have access to social and medical care.
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Traffic Management Centre |
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The Traffic Management Centre is the heart of the Region’s Smart Mobility efforts. It is where the Region works to optimize traffic flows on our road network and improve safety. This hub receives data from every traffic signal, 150 intersection cameras and other sources to monitor traffic flow, adjust traffic signal timing and respond to incidents. This centre helps residents get to where they need to go safely and efficiently.
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CityStudio Durham |
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The Region launched the CityStudio Durham collaborative initiative in partnership with our local post- secondary institutions. Through a web-portal, faculty and students connect to municipal staff to share ideas, develop collaborations and solve real world problems. CityStudio Durham engages students in their future by having them work on challenges in our community while they are in school. This is the opportunity to co-create the Durham of the future. |
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Trusteed Youth Research Project |
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Trusteed Youth are kids who are living on their own but are too young to receive social assistance directly. They are part of a system designed to support adults. To better support these youth, the Region began a review of our internal processes. We also participated in an applied research project with Durham College, community organizations and trusteed youth. Based on data collected and the voice of youth themselves, the Region has made significant changes to improve services and give youth the support they need to be successful. |
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Regional Cycling Plan |
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The Regional Cycling Plan update incorporates feedback gathered from residents. Residents have been clear that the main concern is safety and the Region will explore new ways to increase cyclist and driver knowledge about safety on the road. As part of our overall effort to improve environmental sustainability, the Region will begin addressing connectivity of routes to ensure that cycling is a viable option for residents and tourists to explore Durham. We’ve received thousands of points of information – and we’re using them to build a better Regional Cycling Plan.
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COVID-19 Data Tracker |
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COVID-19 has had unprecedented impact on our communities. As a method to keep the public informed about the risk and aware of the cases in the community, the Durham Region Health Department collaborated with Information Technology and Planning and Economic Development to create the COVID-19 data tracker. As the pandemic evolved, the tracker did as well, growing from a website reporting positive cases to a comprehensive tracking and reporting system that equips the community with data to inform decision making.
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Canada Learning Bond |
Research has shown that children who have savings for post-secondary are three times more likely to attend. The Canada Learning Bond is a federal government contribution to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to support the costs of education for families living with low income. The Region has partnered with other levels of governments, community organizations and financial institutions to host annual sign-up events. These events are a one-stop shop to create a pathway to the Canada Learning Bond for all eligible families.
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A Connected Network
Durham is a leader in community building. We are part of a larger Intelligent Communities network, participating in local and global conversations to support and inspire other communities.
Hello Tomorrow: Durham Smart Cities Forum Learn ● Experience ● Contribute |
On September 29, 2018, the Region of Durham successfully hosted the Hello Tomorrow: Smart Cities Durham Forum at University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in the City of Oshawa. More than 300 residents, community partners, businesses, academics, students, government officials and tech industry leaders in Durham Region and beyond registered to attend the forum to share feedback on, and learn more about, smart cities approaches and technologies. The forum included:
As promised, we are pleased to share some exciting next steps, and invite you to sign up for future smart cities updates.
We continue to receive ideas regarding future sessions focused on specific industries, including energy, transportation, public health, etc. |
myDurham Intelligent Communities Plan
The concept of ‘smart cities’ has evolved over the past decade. Intelligent communities are focused on solving problems that matter, not just the ones that technology can address. Durham is leading the way to a bright future. We invest in improving the citizen experience and in co-creating the future with our next generation of problem solvers.
Our innovation community is made up of top talent and innovative partners. We work collaboratively with local municipalities, and community to address our collective challenges in a smart, connected way. We use data and technology to improve service delivery, informed by our residents and businesses.
With initiatives underway, the myDurham Intelligent Communities Plan and framework guides project alignment and our future direction. The Plan doesn’t replace an existing plan or strategy. Instead, it guides the deployment of intelligent approaches, enabling the Region to achieve our objectives while leaving space for new and innovative ways of providing service to our community.
Principles |
myDurham Intelligent Communities Plan is based on core principles:
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Organizational structure |
Implementation of the myDurham Intelligent Communities Plan requires input from across departments and integration with our local area municipalities and community partners. It is important that everyone have a voice in the process. We envision three main governance structures. 1) Regional Intelligent Communities Steering Committee - Within the Region of Durham, staff in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer will centrally manage and coordinate the Intelligent Communities Plan. The project lead will be supported by a multi-departmental Steering Committee. Together they will:
2) Intelligent Communities Community Advisory Committee – The Advisory Committee will include representation from local area municipalities, educational institutions and members of the public to ensure alignment among community initiatives, participate in an evaluation process and inform future directions. Continuous Public Engagement – The Plan will be based on comprehensive and ongoing community engagement and consultation. We will use a variety of engagement tools and methods, including:
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Data Governance |
The foundation of success for the Region’s Intelligent Communities Plan will be a robust, transparent data governance process. It is critical to ensure privacy, the protection of personal information, and all applicable legislative and regulatory requirements. The governance structure will include the following:
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Evaluation Framework |
An evaluation framework, developed in consultation with the Intelligent Communities Advisory Committee, will help measure the success of the Intelligent Communities Plan. Through this process, we will collect baseline data, identify key performance indicators and annually evaluate project success. |
Formalized Collaboration |
Durham can’t become a truly intelligent region without the help of many partners. Using this framework as a guide, we will continue to seek partnerships with community organizations and leverage our innovation ecosystem to initiate pilot projects. Regional staff will develop a set of guiding policies and procedures to ensure alignment and coordination. Data governance policies will protect our residents in project implementation. Key partners in the innovation ecosystem include:
Innovative Collaborations with Post-Secondary Institutions
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