Ottawa, ON – Wednesday October 21, 2009 – OCRI is pleased to announce that the City of Ottawa has been selected as a finalist in the Intelligent Community of the Year awards program. The Smart21 Communities of 2010 were announced on Friday, October 16 by the Intelligent Community Forum to acknowledge communities that are actively using broadband and information technology to excel in today’s global economy.
“Just one week ago, the Ontario Technology Corridor, a program in which Ottawa plays a key role, was recognized by the International Economic Development Council for regionalism and cross-border collaboration,” said Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien. “Being named one of the world’s Smart21 Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum brings us one step closer to being recognized as Canada’s Creative Economy Capital.”
In the statement issued by ICF, Ottawa was praised for its ability to: respond and adapt to change; leverage collaborative partnerships among government, educational institutions and the business community to remain globally competitive; and promote technology entrepreneurship through lifelong learning, digital literacy, business incubator and accelerator programs, small business mentoring projects, school-to-work initiatives and a global marketing campaign.
The theme for this year’s competition is “The Education Last Mile – closing the gap from School to Work.” Communities were encouraged to demonstrate projects and initiatives that help to prepare young people for careers in the local community. Claude Haw, President and CEO, OCRI, along with representatives from the City of Ottawa saw this competition as a logical fit for the city considering the work within the city to foster successful businesses and generate interest in technology and engineering programs. “It is an honour for Ottawa to be recognized as one of the most Intelligent Communities in the world. This is a testament to our resiliency and dedication after enduring a tumultuous decade that has impacted both our founding technology – telecommunications and our largest employer,” explains Mr. Haw. “Ottawa’s ongoing success is a direct result of our entrepreneurial spirit and ability to recognize viable opportunities and ultimately turn them into successful enterprises. We look forward to capitalizing on this momentum and becoming one of the Top Seven for 2010 as we did in 2007.”
The next step involves a second, more detailed application to identify the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year. The Top Seven will be announced January 20, 2010 at the annual conference in Hawaii. One of the top seven will be chosen as the Intelligent Community of the Year on May 21, 2010 at ICF’s Broadband Economy Summit.
The Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org) is a New York-based think tank that studies the economic and social development of the 21st Century community. Whether in industrial or developing nations, communities are challenged to create prosperity, stability and cultural meaning in a world where jobs, investment and progress increasingly depend on broadband communications. The Intelligent Community Forum seeks to share best practices and offer research and insights into the success of the world’s Intelligent Communities. ICF conducts research, hosts events, publishes reports and newsletters and produces an international awards program.
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About OCRI:
Leading the way for Ottawa, OCRI is the city’s economic development agency. OCRI is the rallying point to bring business, education, research and talent together to create the winning economic conditions that allow Ottawa’s knowledge-based companies to thrive locally and compete globally. At OCRI we promote sustainable economic development to maintain our high quality of life. For more information on OCRI visit our website at www.ocri.ca and for more information on the Ottawa Region please visit www.ottawaregion.com.
For information contact:
Kim Cunningham
Manager, External Communications
OCRI
Office: (613) 828-6274 ext. 256
Cell: (613) 851-0768
kcunningham@ocri.ca
