ICF TOP7 Conference and Announcement June 19 and 20, 2023 in Durham Region, Ontario
Conference Theme: Better Together
Building a Strong Region from Diverse Communities
Join us in Durham Region for the 2023 Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year Conference and Announcement on June 19th and 20th. Location: W. Galen Weston Centre for Food at Durham College, Whitby Campus 1690 Champlain Avenue Whitby, ON L1N 9B2
See: Top7 Conference and Announcement – Intelligent Community Forum
The 1990s began what we might call the Digital Decades. Experts predicted that digital would give rise to a “flatter” economy – but they led instead to a concentration: of people, money, innovation and economic growth clustering in big cities with famous names. Today, that concentration seems to be shifting. It has rekindled interest in a proven strategy: a regional approach to development. Together, cities and towns can punch far above their individual weight to bring their people, companies and institutions new, inclusive prosperity and create dynamic economies open to the world.
At “Better Together,” you will see first-hand how eight cities, towns and rural communities on the outskirts of Toronto are welding their differences together into strengths through an Intelligent Community development program. Durham Region is working to build a dynamic regional economy that also contributes to and benefits from proximity to the Greater Toronto Area. It is activating economic assets including agriculture, automotive and clean energy. It is working to attract new innovators to an outstanding quality of life and to extend digital connectivity to all its businesses, organizations and people.
In this two-day hybrid conference, the Region will take you inside its developing story through tours of key sites in its municipalities. A daylong program will bring together economic developers, urban planners, IT experts and community leaders from many provinces and nations to share best practices in regional economic development, shared services and collaborative innovation. The day ends with announcement of ICF’s Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2023, finalists for the coveted Intelligent Community of the Year award to be presented in October in New York City.
What you will take away from the event
Ideas for transformative change you can apply in your own community
New and renewed relationships with colleagues in government, business and academia that contribute to your own development efforts
And best practices for –
Applying the ICF Accelerator Strategy across a region made up of independent local governments
Defining a vision of the future in which local governments, companies and organizations benefit from acting together as a region
Developing and growing a regional identity for citizens and organizations
Creating a culture of respectful and productive collaboration across municipal boundaries
Managing the competing and sometimes conflicting interests of different communities
Engaging education and business as genuine partners in economic and community development
Who will attend?
Mayors, members of Council, CIOs and economic development officers from ICF’s global network of communities, and executives of their partners in technology, telecommunications and consulting.
Schedule at a Glance
Monday, June 19:
12:00 p.m. – Gathering and orientation
12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Tours: Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Tech (subject to change, additional registration required)
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Welcome Reception
Tuesday, June 20:
9:15 a.m. – Registration and Badge Pick-up
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Welcome & Introduction, Opening Remarks
10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – What is an Intelligent Community? (ICF Presentation)
10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. – Panel 1: From Many, One – Partnership Framework
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Refreshment & Networking Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Panel 2: What Works in Regional Development
12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 p.m. – Welcome Back
1:20 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. – Tech Demo
1:35 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. – Panel 3: Beyond Government: Secrets of Building a Strong Industry & Educational Partnership
2:20 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. – Panel 4: Marketing a Region to its People and the World
2:50 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. – Panel 5: Pulling the Strengths of a Region Together – Energy & Automation
3:35 p.m. – Closing of Day
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Dinner & Top7 Announcement
For a more detailed schedule, including confirmed speakers, visit: https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/top7_conference_and_announcement
Want to have a voice in iCommunity.ca, the official newsletter of ICF Canada? Please send your blogs, announcements and other interesting content to John G. Jung at jjung@intelligentcommunity.org
ICF Canada 1310-20 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8 www.icf-canada.com
Contact: John G. Jung at jjung@intelligentcommunity.org 1-647-801-4238 cell
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