(June 13, 2023 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today published its latest report, Building Success for Your Municipal Network, which outlines a set of principles that lead to successful construction, service adoption and financial viability for municipal broadband networks. Illustrated with case studies that show the principles in action, the report is based on the experience of ICF and the people of Lit Communities, a company that develops networks for municipalities and counties through creative public-private partnerships that share risk and ensure that the needs of the community’s people come first.

In the 2016 Intelligent Communities Awards, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada was named a Smart21 Community. To build further on this success, the city created a task force to examine Hamilton’s infrastructure, identify gaps in its digital strategy across the municipality, and develop an action plan to make Hamilton a destination for investment.

In the 2016 Intelligent Communities Awards, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada was named a Smart21 Community. To build further on this success, the city created a task force to examine Hamilton’s infrastructure, identify gaps in its digital strategy across the municipality, and develop an action plan to make Hamilton a destination for investment.

The Mayor's Intelligent Community Task Force was originally tasked with a two-year mandate to explore, discuss, and build upon Hamilton's existing digital infrastructure. A key priority was also to focus on the six factors of an Intelligent Community found in the ICF Method.

As we reach the two-year mark, the Task Force is taking stock of its achievements and identifying areas for future consideration. This report is intended to provide insight into the progress that has been made, and that has laid the foundation for the Task Force to continue to work towards its mandate. It is clear that creating a digitally enabled Hamilton is a multi-year, multi-partner journey that involves ongoing leadership and engagement from the Mayor and Council, City Staff, public sector partners, Academia, the private sector and external community organizations.

(May 20, 2020 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today released Investment-Ready Abbotsford: The Story of an Intelligent Community. The new research report details a multi-year program developed by ICF and the leadership of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada to deepen understanding of today’s economic development challenges and opportunities, and to contribute to the evolution of new strategies and programs.

“Abbotsford is typical of small-to-midsize cities around the world in having a legacy industry – agriculture in their case – that cannot provide job growth today. It is not typical in its ambition to change that situation and build a dynamic, job-creating economy on the solid foundation of its agricultural strengths. Investment-Ready Abbotsford tells its story.”

From Smart City to Intelligent Community was devel­oped to help communities turn their broadband and other digital assets into economic growth, stronger social and com­munity bonds, and better quality of life. It assumes that your community already has adequate broadband connectivity in place and is ready to take the next steps: becoming more engaged, taking on leadership roles in defining issues, and developing practical plans that can lead to realistic and affordable solutions. It speaks to community leaders in local governments and regional districts, to members of legislatures, educators, technology providers, business leaders, agencies, economic development and regional planning organizations. It will help kickstart community efforts to use digital connectivity to improve life in the most important place on earth – the place called home.

(September 26, 2019 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today released Steering a Sustainable Community. The new research report shares dynamics, strategies and successful examples of Sustainability in action in fix Intelligent Communities.

Sustainability can be the source of controversy on the national level. But at the local level, it is easier to agree on the need for clean air, clean water, less pollution and the preservation of what we cherish most.

Sustainability can be the source of controversy on the national level. But at the local level, it is easier to agree on the need for clean air, clean water, less pollution and the preservation of what we cherish most.

Sustainability engages the community and generates action. When communities make sustainability a goal, they energize community groups, neighborhoods and community leaders with the promise of making a difference. The work of these groups meets sustainability goals – but just as important, it strengthens the community’s identity and creates civic pride that powers more positive change.

Sustainability is also good for the economy. As the world is turning its attention to reining in human impact on the planet, sustainability is generating substantial new opportunities for technology advance, business growth and employment in green industries.

In this report, ICF examines how six communities in the US, Canada, Australia, Vietnam and Taiwan turn the practice of sustainability into a economic development, engagement and social growth, supporting their progress toward a more prosperous future.  

Report Contents:

1.  The Search for Sustainability

2.  Intelligent Communities on the Path to Sustainability

• Binh Duong Province, Vietnam
• Chiayi City, Taiwan
• Hudson, Ohio, USA
• Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario, Canada

3.  Engaging Cities, Businesses and Institutions

• Melbourne Makes Sustainability Strategy a Community Affair
• Ipswich Establishes a Youth Sustainability Summit
• Hudson Creates Engagement Around Solar

4.  Sustainability Culture

• Binh Duong’s Industrial Culture Change
• Chiayi City Lets a Thousand Energy-Efficient Homes Bloom
• Ipswich Starts with Citizens

5.  Putting the Plan into Action

• Binh Duong Focuses on Youth
• Citizen Foresters in Melbourne

6.  Partnerships

• Ipswich Works with Landowners
• Chiayi Rehabilitates a Legacy Industry

7.  Smart Energy

• LED Streetlights in Ipswich, Chiayi City and Hudson
• Binh Duong Methane Recovery

8.  Conservation and Clean Energy

• Binh Duong Fights the Petro-Curse
• Chiayi's Low-Carbon Crusade
• Sarnia-Lambton Gets Big on Solar and Wind
• Melbourne Occupancy Crunch

9.  Clearing the Air

• Air Boxes and Smart Roads in Chiayi
• Waste Reduction in Melbourne

10.  Growing a Greener Economy

• Greener Chemistry in Sarnia-Lambton

11.  An Ethos of Sustainability

12.  A Quick Self-Test

When you decide to take action on broadband, you have a wide range of options. You will select among them based on their cost and difficulty, the public’s understanding of the challenge and your leadership’s appetite for financial and political risk.

Most of the options have the same goal: to make the community a more attractive market for private-sector investment in digital connectivity. The most powerful way to do so is to reduce the upfront investment required to serve the market, which lowers the risk and increases the profit potential.

Many leaders of local government are surprised to find that they have options. But they do. They range from steps that are not in the least controversial, because they call on the accepted authority of local government, to actions that put local government into competition with the private sector. That’s controversial just about everywhere. There is not just one answer for every place, just as there is not one kind of demand for broadband. Broadly speaking, most communities have five options. They are not exclusive – rather, they are a set of steps on a staircase that leads upward to high-quality connectivity.

Report Contents:

1.  Connectivity Haves and Have-Nots

2.  Filling the Gap: Options for Gaining Broadband Access

3.  Land-Use Policy

• Example: Whittlesea, Victoria, Australia

4.  Government Networks

• Example: Regional Municipality of York, Ontario, Canada

5.  Public Infrastructure

• Example: Dublin, Ohio, USA

6.  Open Access Networks

• Example: Stockholm, Sweden

7.  Direct Competition

• Example: Bristol, Virginia, USA

8.  The Five Hidden Truths About Networks

9.  The Unexpected Secret to Success

• Example: Westerville, Ohio, USA

10. What’s the Right Choice?

Free report from ICF Canada details how communities turn their broadband and other digital assets into economic growth and better quality of life

December 19, 2018 – New York City, USA and Toronto, Ontario, Canada –ICF Canada  released a free report, From Connectivity to Community, developed by the Intelligent Community Forum to help communities turn their broadband and other digital assets into economic growth, stronger social and com­munity bonds, and better quality of life.  The report, which is free to download, can be found on ICF’s Website.