Durham Region has been named one of the top seven global Intelligent Communities of 2022 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).
In the 20th annual top seven list, Durham Region is named alongside cities and counties from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Taiwan and Vietnam. This fall, one of the seven finalists will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Summit.
The ICF’s top seven list recognizes the world’s leading municipalities that are successfully using digital innovations to improve the quality of their citizen’s lives. It’s about using modern technology and innovative thinking to improve economic competitiveness, engage citizens, and increase connectivity to support smarter, healthier, more equitable and sustainable communities.
Through its Intelligent Communities Plan, the Region of Durham is leading the way in innovation, with initiatives such as the Regional Broadband Project; CityStudio Durham; the Canada Learning Bond outreach 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.
“In Durham Region, we invest in improving the citizen experience, and in co-creating the future with our next generation of problem solvers. Through digital transformation, Durham is leading the way to a bright future—driven by a workforce known for its innovative mindset. Autonomous and electric vehicles, clean technology and innovative service delivery are key areas of focus for us as we create the Durham of tomorrow, today. It’s no wonder Durham is recognized as being one of the best places in the world to live, work and invest,” said John Henry, Regional Chair and CEO.
Durham wins 2022 Excellence in Municipal Systems Award
The Regional Municipality of Durham was recently named a winner of the 2022 Excellence in Municipal Systems Award by the Municipal Information Systems Association (Ontario), for its myDurham 311 Smart Home Device Voice Service project.
This award recognizes Durham Region as the first municipality in Canada to bring regional services to customers via their smart home devices by implementing this innovative approach; marking a significant achievement and setting a new standard that other municipalities may follow.
The myDurham 311 Voice Service makes it easy to find out about things like elected officials, Regional facilities, waste pick up, the nearest bus stop, and even when to expect the next Durham Region Transit bus. The myDurham 311 voice service is available through the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa Marketplace. If using Google just say, “Hey Google, talk to myDurham 311″ or if using Alexa, enable the service in the Alexa app settings and then say “Alexa, open myDurham 311.”
The myDurham 311 Voice Service showcases how Durham Region is focused on improving the customer experience through an omnichannel approach. It’s a co-ordinated system that will help ensure Regional services are accessible via a variety of methods, including in-person, web, emails, phone calls, social media and more.
“Durham Region is a forward-thinking organization; focused on innovation and modernization. This service represents our transformation towards a customer-centric approach. It’s a project that helps to improve the customer service experience by making data and services accessible to everyone through the device of their choice,” said Elaine Baxter-Trahair, Chief Administrative Officer.