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2025 ICF Community of the Year logo with blue text underneath that reads "A winning community, built together".

Intelligent Communities

Globally benchmarked. Proven results. Durham Region is the Intelligent Community of the Year!

What sets us apart?

  • Regional collaboration delivering shared results

  • Investment in local communities strengthening neighbourhoods

  • Career‑ready talent supporting local jobs

  • Clean energy leadership supporting communities

We are a global leader creating opportunities for people, businesses and communities to thrive; recognized for our student talent, innovation, digital inclusion, engagement and more.

A head shot of Allan with a blurred background.

Allan from Ontario Power Generation

Smart. Clean. Sustainable. Learn why we're the Clean Energy Capital of Canada.
A head shot of Amber with a blurred background.

Amber from Trent University Durham GTA

Intentional. Collaborative. Future-focused. Discover how we're working with students to shape a brighter future.
A head shot of Dr. Elaine Popp with a blurred background.

Dr. Elaine Popp from Durham College

Learn more about how working together drives student success and economic growth in Durham Region.
A head shot of Isaac with a blurred background.

Isaac from geekspeak Commerce

See how we're growing local talent, supporting employers and preparing our workforce for the future.
A head shot of Kyla, a Durham Resident

Kyla a Durham Resident

Discover how Durham Region is shaping a resilient, low-carbon future.
A head shot of Muaz with a blurred background.

Muaz a Durham resident

Explore the many ways sustainability is taking shape across the region.
A head shot of Nilo with a blurred background.

Nilo from the Region of Durham

Inclusive. Connected. United. Discover how Durham Region is redefining what it means to belong.
A head shot of Riaz with a blurred background.

Riaz from Durham OneNet

See how broadband is building resilience across rural and urban communities.
A head shot of Shenelle with a blurred background.

Shenelle from Ontario Tech University

Career-ready talent. From classroom to career, discover more about how students are job-ready.

Community Stories

A global leader creating opportunities for people, businesses and communities to thrive—transformed through intentional investment in infrastructure that delivers lasting impact and a future shaped by choice, not chance. Read about the work taking place right here that has made Durham Region’s 2025 Community of the Year recognition possible.

 

A group of students conducting an experiment.
At Ontario Tech University, experiential learning is part of the institution’s DNA
An image of a white heart on a blue backdrop
How does Durham design its social programs? By listening to people with lived experience
The Durham Greener Home icon with an abstract banner along the bottom, that includes the ICF and Durham Region logos, and the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year badge.
Durham Region's plan to tackle the climate crisis? Get inside your home
The City of Oshawa skyline
What is an intelligent community? Durham Region recognized as one of the world's top seven
A sign in a window with greenery out front reads Come in we're open.
Want to start a business in Durham Region? The area has support centres to help with that.
A person cutting cables and wires.
Thanks to Durham OneNet, over 2,000 rural residents now have access to high-speed Internet
A person speaking to an audience, with a stand-up banner behind them that reads, Bringing Bigger Ideas to Li
Brilliant Catalyst, a business incubator at Ontario Tech has supported 500+ start-ups
A waterfront at sunset featuring a turbine.
Durham Region is not just keeping pace with the global energy transition. They’re leading it
Hands working on a series of wires.
How experiential learning in Durham Region benefits both students and local businesses
An aerial view of Algoma Orchards manufacturing facility and storefront.
The largest apple producer in Canada is in Newcastle and it's more high tech than you'd think
A group of people posing at a construction site for a new business announcement with a Tessera Group sign behind them.
How Durham plans to bring over 500,000 new residents and thousands of new jobs to the area
The outside of the Abilities Centre with the organization sign that includes the logo and text that reads Abilities Centre
One of the world's most accessible buildings in the world can be found right in the heart of Durham Region
An image of a technology station in the Oshawa Public Library Memory Lab
Libraries are community hubs, of course, but in Oshawa, they're providing unparalleled access to technology, too
The My Durham 311 logo with an abstract banner along the bottom, the ICF and Durham Region logos and the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year badge.
Thanks to technology, the award-winning Durham311 has one of the best call-wait times in Ontario
Region of Durham logo
Invest Durham logo
Town of Ajax logo
Township of Brock logo
Municipality of Clarington logo
City of Oshawa logo
City of Pickering logo
Township of Scugog logo
Town of Whitby logo
Township of Uxbridge logo
Durham College logo
Ontario Tech University logo
Trent University Durham logo
1855 logo
Brilliant Catalyst logo
Spark Centre logo

A winning community, built together

Being recognized as the Intelligent Community of the Year reflects the incredible collaboration of our community partners, including our eight local municipalities: Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge and Whitby, along with 1855 Accelerator, Brilliant Catalyst, Spark Centre, Durham College, Ontario Tech University, and Trent University Durham GTA. This win belongs to all of us! 

Durham Region is celebrating a global achievement! We’ve been named 2025 Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a recognition of our innovation, workforce development and commitment to inclusion.

Read the Region of Durham news release.

Read the Intelligent Community Forum news release.

Durham Region has been recognized as a fully certified intelligent community by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a designation provided to communities that are poised for investment, and set to succeed economically, socially and culturally.

Durham Region joins Winnipeg, Manitoba as the second Canadian community to receive this prestigious designation. Certification will remain in place until October 2027.

Read the certification news release.

For the third consecutive year, Durham Region has been recognized as one of the world’s Top7 Intelligent Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). This accolade celebrates municipalities that use technology, innovation and digital inclusion to enhance citizens’ lives and drive economic growth.

Durham Region has been named one of the top seven global Intelligent Communities of 2023 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).

The announcement marks the 21st annual top seven list and comes following the 2023 Top7 Intelligent Communities Conference hosted by the Region of Durham, in partnership with ICF.

Durham Region has been announced a Smart21 community of the year for the third year in a row!

The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF)’s Smart21 Communities program recognizes the world's leading municipalities that are successfully leveraging data and digital assets to develop inclusive and prosperous communities.

Durham Region is being recognized on the global stage for its modern technology and leadership in innovation to improve economic competitiveness, engage citizens, and increase connectivity to support smarter, healthier, more equitable and sustainable communities.

Innovative projects include the myDurham 311 Smart Home Device Voice Service project, the first in Canada to bring regional services to a smart home device; and CityStudio Durham offering experiential learning to tomorrow’s leaders by opening up municipal government to the classroom.

Learn more about the Smart21 Communities of 2023.

Durham Region’s Intelligent Community journey was recently featured in Municipal World.


"Connections with community organizations, other orders of government, not-for-profits, incubators, and post-secondary institutions create an innovative ecosystem to help propel new ideas forward. In a community of the future, these connections will be what keeps citizens engaged, connected, and thriving.”

Learn how Durham became a global Top7 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.

The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has recognized Durham Region as one of the Smart21 Communities of the Year for the second year in a row.

Durham is undergoing digital transformation and leading the way in innovation. This award is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to innovation, engagement, and strengthening connectivity to our residents across the region.

Learn about the Smart21 Intelligent Communities of 2022.

Learn more about the Smart21 Intelligent Communities of 2021.

 

Intelligent Community Forum certification badge with red graphics and text that reads Durham Region certified intelligent community 2024-2027

Durham Region is a certified intelligent community

Durham Region is as a fully certified intelligent community by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a designation provided to communities that are poised for investment, and set to succeed economically, socially and culturally.

Read the certification news release.

Contact Us

The Regional Municipality of Durham
605 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario Canada L1N 6A3

Telephone: 311 (within region limits)
Telephone: 905-668-7711
Toll-Free: 1-800-372-1102

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