Announcement to be part of a 2.5-day conference, “From Surviving to Thriving” using the ICF Method

(New York, NY, USA; Maple Ridge, BC, Canada and the Township of Langley, BC, Canada – September 10, 2020) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today named Maple Ridge and the Township of Langley in British Columbia, Canada as co-hosts of the February 2021 ICF Smart21 Conference: From Surviving to Thriving using the ICF Method. The Smart21 Communities announcement will take place as part of a 2.5-day conference from February 21-23, 2021.

“We’re excited to be returning to Canada, on the lands of the Coast Salish peoples, to host our conference and annual awards announcement,” said ICF Co-Founder Robert Bell. “As so many Canadian communities have shown to be exemplary models of the ICF Method, this event will help to continue to share their best practices with the global Intelligent Community network.” ICF’s 2020 Smart21 announcement took place in Rochester, NY, USA.

The 2021 event will begin with an evening welcome reception on February 21 in the Township of Langley, followed by a full-day plenary conference on February 22 with panel discussions, keynote addresses, break-out workshops,  match-making & networking opportunities and more. That evening, ICF will announce the Smart21 Communities of 2021 during a dinner with a simultaneous online announcement to premiere globally.  Business sector-themed tours along with community tours in the Township of Langley and Maple Ridge will follow on February 23 prior to the conclusion of the event. Registration is now open at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2021-icf-smart21-conference-tickets-118675879751

“The Township of Langley is thrilled to be co-hosting this very important international event,” said Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese. “Now more than ever, it is vital that we adapt to the digital, social, and environmental changes around us, utilize our collective strengths, and ensure our economies, communities, and people continue to develop and thrive. We look forward to welcoming the world next year – virtually and in-person – and learning who the Smart21 Communities of 2021 will be.”

“Understanding how to leverage technology to improve quality of life is an important part of the toolkit for a successful organization and community. This program recognizes that social, environmental and economic challenges are intertwined; this is essential knowledge as we deal with the impacts of COVID-19. The City of Maple Ridge is proud to be part of this partnership to ensure our businesses, communities and local governments can work together, adapt and grow as new opportunities emerge in the regional and global economy,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden.

Running concurrently with the in-person event in the Township of Langley and Maple Ridge will be a virtual conference, where select portions of the event will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in-person. “We are highly sensitive to and aware of potential continued COVID-19 conditions and restrictions, and are monitoring them closely”, said Robert Bell.  “Should restrictions on local gatherings or travel make it inadvisable to host an in-person event, we will pivot to a virtual platform for this important global event.”

For more information and to register click here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2021-icf-smart21-conference-tickets-118675879751

More about the ICF Smart21 Announcement
The ICF Smart21 Announcement is the first stage in ICF's annual Intelligent Community Awards cycle.  Based on Intelligent Community Index questionnaires submitted by communities large and small from around the world, ICF selects 21 semi-finalists with the potential to become one of the Forum's Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, and then finally the Intelligent Community of the Year.  The Smart21 list is promoted to the world's media by ICF and the communities involved. Gaining a place among the year's Smart21 is considered a badge of honor as well as the first step toward greater recognition as an Intelligent Community positioned to prosper in the broadband economy.

Nominations are being accepted now for 2021, and communities are invited to download the questionnaire from www.intelligentcommunity.org/index_questionnaire. By submitting it, they will receive a free Snapshot Report comparing their readiness and performance on six critical Success factors to ICF’s global data set of communities. The deadline to submit a nomination for consideration in the 2021 Awards Program is January 7, 2021.  There is no cost to submit a questionnaire and receive the Snapshot Report.

More about the ICF Intelligent Community Awards Program
Candidates are evaluated based on six Factors that make up the ICF Method, which provides a framework for understanding how communities can build inclusive prosperity and grow social and cultural strength amid the disruptions of the digital age.This framework also guides ICF’s consulting and coaching practice for communities. 

The Intelligent Community Forum Awards Program for 2020 concludes in Dublin, Ohio, USA in October during the Intelligent Community Forum’s Global Summit conference, when one of the Top7 Intelligent Communities succeeds Taoyuan, Taiwan as the new Intelligent Community of the Year. For more information or to register for the ICF Summit, click here: http://www.icfsummit.com/

About the Intelligent Community Forum
The Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org), headquartered in New York, is a global network of 180 cities, metro regions and counties with a think tank at its heart and a mission to make everyone’s “hometown” at great place. ICF studies and promotes the best practices of the world's Intelligent Communities as they adapt to the new demands and seize the opportunities presented by broadband and digital technology. To help cities and regions build prosperous economies, solve social problems and enrich local cultures, the Intelligent Community Forum conducts research, hosts events around the globe, publishes books, and produces its high-profile annual international awards program. The Forum sponsors research Institutes in North America dedicated to the study of the movement, and national organizations in Canada and Taiwan, both home to many Intelligent Communities. In 2012 ICF was invited to participate at the Nobel Peace Prize conference in Oslo and in 2014, its model and work was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which, according to the American government, was "aimed at creating a more flexible and responsive system of workforce development to meet the needs of employers looking to fill 21st century jobs.” For more information, go to www.intelligentcommunity.org/icf_membership. For more details on the Intelligent Community Forum’s recent publications and programs, www.intelligentcommunity.org.

Intelligent Community Forum Contacts
Matthew Owen
Director of Operations
Intelligent Community Forum
Phone: +1 646-291-6166 (x105)
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Newcommunities

Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Intelligent Community Forum
Email: [email protected]