Canadians Discovered Taiwan’s Intelligent Island during the 2025 Smart City Summit and Expo

For the past three years, ICF Canada and its partner in Taiwan, ICF Taiwan has organized a delegation to attend the annual Smart City Summit & Expo and Net Zero City Expo (SCSE) in Taipei. From a small, largely Canadian delegation in the first year, the past two years have attracted significant numbers of international attendees to be part of ICF’s Delegation to the SCSE and associated site visits. This year, thirty-one delegates from Canada, USA, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands joined ICF Canada and ICF Taiwan’s organizers to attend the SCSE and undertake visits to meet the mayors of Taoyuan, New Taipei City, and Yunlin County. In each of these gatherings, in addition to the formalities, the mayors explained why their communities have become among the best smart cities and Intelligent Communities in Taiwan. They noted that they are leading in applying digital communications technologies in health, emergency response, education, traffic control, urban planning, and overall quality of life for their citizens. As the delegation learned over the course of their visit to Taiwan – these communities excel in not only digital connectivity and AIoT applications, they train knowledge workers and the talent to innovate and become global entrepreneurs. And with innovation, they share their prosperity with all of their citizens who have developed a culture of engagement and respect for sustainability, all key factors of smart cities to evolve into true Intelligent Communities.

Part of the 2025 ICF Delegation at the Smart City Summit and Expo in Taiwan

The SCSE is Asia’s largest smart city event, featuring AIoT solutions, 5G, cybersecurity, transportation, net-zero sustainability, B2B, G2G and G2B networks, and exceptional startup marketing opportunities for applications from home and abroad. Our delegation was impressed with each of the SCSE’s exhibits, from smart tourism to net-zero applications. The delegation also participated in a well-received panel at the SCSE entitled “Balancing Technology & Humanity: Human Centered Innovation in Cities”. Moderated by ICF’s Chairman and Co-Founder, John G. Jung, the panel included the Director of the Chiayi County Government Planning Department, Huang-Cheng Chen; Doug McCollough, representing the ICF Institute in Dublin, Ohio; Dario Paixao, President of the Curitiba Agency for Development and Innovation in Curitiba, Brazil, the 2024 Intelligent Community of the Year; Peter Portheine, Partner and Co-Founder of Eindhoven International Project Office (EIPO) and Associate and Global Lead Economic Development BABLE Smart Cities; and Tony Clement, Former Canadian Cabinet Minister. Following this panel, ICF and Parana, Brazil, held a public signing ceremony of a Letter of Intent to create ICF’s fourth ICF Institute. Immediately following this event, the heads of the other ICF Institutes from Taiwan, Canada, and the USA met with the Parana officials to discuss potential projects that these global Institutes could work on together. However, as vital as this event was for the delegation to learn about Taiwan’s pre-eminence in Asia in its smart city dominance, it wasn’t until the delegation traveled on its site visits to Taipei, New Taipei City and Yunlin County, that members of the delegation were able to witness these Intelligent Communities in action.

Letter of Intent Signing Ceremony between ICF and Parana, Brazil for a new ICF Institute to be located in Curitiba, Brazil, the 2024 Intelligent Community of the Year.

In Taipei, members visited the cultural areas of the Chang Kai Sek Memorial Hall, 101 Tower, and experienced its incredible dumplings at the famous Din Tai Fung Restaurant. They also visited the Taipei Technology District within the Zhongzheng district and the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, a former Japanese-built winery turned into one of the biggest and busiest creative parks in Taiwan, boasting multiple exhibit spaces, shops, and cafes within the extensive historic park grounds. Later they toured another cultural and creative park in Songshan which began its life as a tobacco factory in 1937 and had recently turned into an impressive innovation hub, showcasing companies such as “5% Design Action”. Its CEO, Kevin Yang explained that it works with designers and professionals from different fields to form design action projects by jointly devoting 5% of their time to contribute to key social issues and challenges in corporate innovation. And to think that all this happened before the official welcome dinner in Taipei at this park!

Part of the 2025 ICF Delegation visiting the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Here visiting with Kevin Yang, CEO of  5% Design Active in the Songshan Innovation Hub.

In New Taipei City, early arrivers went on an MRT subway tour to visit the Tamsui waterfront and heritage district and enjoy the culture and Sunday food market along Tamsui Old Street. At the end of the week, the delegation exchanged gifts with Mayor Hou in the New Taipei City Hall as well as visited one of the world’s most interesting Energy from Waste facilities, known as the Bali Refuse Incineration Facility, designed by internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei. This facility on the shoreline of the Taiwan Strait receives 20,000 visitors each year, is a model environmental protection facility in Taiwan, hosts educational programs, and even invites marriage ceremonies to take place there. No kidding! In the meantime, it treats over 400,000 tons of waste per year, turning waste into electricity to accommodate the daily use of 160,000 residents. Following the visit to New Taipei City Hall, the delegates were treated to a tour of the

Beer Head Tourist Brewery, the first in Taiwan’s craft beer industry to showcase its production, tourism, and education goals.

Part of ICF’s Delegation at the Bali Incineration Facility designed by I. M. Pei

In Yunlin County, the delegation was warmly received by Magistrate Chang, Deputy Magistrate Hsieh, and their staff at the Tukuyi Cocoa Farm for a memorable banquet and entertaining evening, bonding many of the delegates with members of Yunlin’s administration and educational facilities in attendance. The following day, the delegation toured the Yunlin Emergency Center with an introduction to the Guardian Alliance and its 5G Smart Rescue Corridor. This was followed by an AI, IoT, and 5G demonstration of a simulated emergency response curated by Yunlin’s Fire Department & National Taiwan University Hospital. They learned that with limited resources compared to neighboring jurisdictions, the County made up for it through collaboration and cooperation among its network of 22,000 volunteers. This was followed up with visits to the Sports Technology Center & Semiconductor Talent Training at the National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) engineers are trained.

Part of the 2025 ICF Delegation with Yunlin’s Magistrate Chang and Deputy Magistrate Hsieh at the Welcome Banquet in Yunlin County, Taiwan

Following these visits, the delegation toured two bioengineering companies. UA Wood Studio showcased its products and gave a spectacular presentation on how contact with wood flooring improved blood circulation. Later, we visited Challenge Bioproducts Co., which specializes in extracting components from pineapple for use in natural food colorings and medicines such as the FDA-approved enzymatic burn treatment NexoBrid, used to remove burnt tissue from deep skin burns, reducing the need for surgical removal of burnt tissue or skin transplants. This product is currently treating wounded soldiers in Ukraine.

These site visits also gave this large and diverse international delegation opportunities to bond over their week together. Listen to some of the comments received from the delegates and ICF Taiwan’s organizers:

“Impactful and enriching visit to the Yunlin County Emergency Management Center in Taiwan. Taiwan faces about 5 typhoons and multiple earthquakes each year and has developed very efficient emergency management procedures. Specifically in Yunlin they showed us their operations center with unified command, which has a powerful resilient communications network, using 5G and satellite and with a lot of awareness and citizen participation, 22,000 volunteers for a population of close to 700,000 inhabitants. We should emulate them and be inspired by them.”

Agustin Argelich Casals, Author, Speaker, Consultant, Telecom engineer, Barcelona, Spain.

“It’s hard to capture the magic of the past week during the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Delegation to Taiwan, but this short video from fellow traveler Marit Hendriks comes close. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5QPnCAu4BE . Taiwan truly leads the way in Smart City development — and our journey through cities and communities across the island was a masterclass in innovation, collaboration, and local pride. The absolute highlight for me? Yunlin County Government — right in the heart of Taiwan and newly named ICF Top7 Intelligent Community of 2024. Yunlin blends its agricultural heritage with digital transformation: smart farming, sustainable infrastructure, a vibrant university ecosystem, and a community that’s deeply invested in inclusive, future-forward development. A huge thank you to John G. Jung, and the full team behind the ICF Delegation. Also grateful for the hospitality and insights.”

Peter Portheine, Partner and Co-Founder of Eindhoven International Project Office (EIPO) and Associate and Global Lead Economic Development BABLE Smart Cities

“Taiwan is home to multiple Smart Cities and Intelligent Communities, and it is great to meet the governments, agencies, companies, universities, and people who contribute to Taiwan’s significant progress…The opportunity to engage with thought leaders from Canada, Spain, Brazil, and the U.S. on topics such as Sustainability, EDI, ESG, NetZero, Startups, Workforce, Smart Mobility, EVs, smart health, and economic development was profound. I learned a lot, ate well, and opened many new relationships. Thank you ICF, ITRI, SCSE, the Taiwan Tourism Administration, and ICF Canada…The tours were the highlight of the delegation. They really understand the circular economy.”

Doug McCollough, ICF Institute, Dublin Ohio

“Thanks …for inviting me – a truly memorable trip – I can recommend to anyone with an interest in smart/intelligent communities. Highly educational, culturally engaging, interesting and fun!”

Marit Hendriks, Next Gen Events Director, The Netherlands and videographer of the ICF Delegation to Taiwan.

“Thanks for everything. It has been an awesome experience, with great and new learnings for all of us! We are looking forward to being with you all again in our lovely city of Las Rozas!”

Alejandro Saldaña, Las Rozas Mayor’s Cabinet

“I really enjoyed the time in Taiwan. Thank you for bringing together such a great group and wonderful itinerary. I look forward to staying involved with ICF.”

Kelly Rowe, PhD, Principal, Strategy Inc. Toronto

“Congrats again on an excellent program!”

Daniel Hengeveld, VP, Toronto Global

“Really appreciate all the work by the team to make for such an incredible experience.”

Beena Tharakan, Crosspoly Solutions, Toronto

“Welcoming the Intelligent Community Forum Delegation to Taiwan was truly what made last week so heartfelt and special. From smart city exchanges to cultural moments (and yes—so much great food!), it was inspiring to see such a diverse, passionate group of leaders come together—each bringing a unique perspective on what makes a city not just smart, but truly intelligent and people-centered.”

Nana Chen, Strategic Planning, ITRI

“Each year …ICF visits Taiwan …to share what’s happening globally and what we can continue doing more for the communities. Working with ICF…I started to see the real value and hope they bring to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. This hit me particularly hard when we visited New Taipei City Mayor, Mr. Hou. The Deputy Mayor of Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain and Curitiba, Brazil shared how ICF gives smaller cities a platform to be seen and to network with international communities. That moment truly warmed my heart. All the delegates I met this week left me speechless. Each and every one of them came with kindness, professionalism, and most of all, openness. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, intelligence, and perspectives with us.”

Phoebe Tseng, Deputy Project Manager, ITRI

And there were many more accolades from members of the delegation and Taiwanese organizers about the 2025 ICF Delegation to Taiwan. ICF plans to return in March 2026, but there will also be other planned delegations to Vietnam in the Fall of 2025 and potentially other delegations to Intelligent Communities and regions. If you are interested in joining one of ICF’s future delegations, contact John G. Jung at [email protected]

ICF wishes to thank the organizers of this delegation’s visit to Taiwan including ICF Canada and ICF Taiwan, the main organizers, as well as support from ADI, moda and Taiwan Tourism, the cities of New Taipei City and Yunlin County for hosting the delegation in their communities and for SCSE/ TCA for their support. Thank you to Nana Chen, for your assistance and those of your colleagues, Maggie Chao, Tiffany Lin and Phoebe Tseng. Without your help this delegation’s successful visit would not have been possible.

Other images from the week that the 2025 ICF Delegation visited amazing Taiwan: