Maple Ridge city hall. (THE NEWS – files)

Maple Ridge to co-host Intelligent Community Forum Smart 21 Conference

Virtual event about economic development in the digital age

The City of Maple Ridge and the Township of Langley are teaming up to host the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Smart21 Conference this month.

The virtual event, themed “From Surviving to Thriving,” will take place from Feb. 22-24. It will bring together delegates from the business, government and non-profit sectors who have implemented smart technologies in communities around the world, said a press release from the City of Maple Ridge

Headlining the conference will be the ICF’s announcement of the Smart 21 of 2021 – a collection of cities vying for the title of Intelligent Community of the Year.

The winner of the City of Maple Ridge’s online hackathon, which has received more than 560 entries, will also be revealed.

READ ALSO: Maple Ridge hosts virtual hackathon

The event will feature a lineup of global speakers from countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain, Estonia, Australia and Taiwan.

The ICF is a global network of 180 cities, metro regions and counties with a mission to help communities find new paths to economic development and community growth in the digital age.

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

Registration for the event is now open at www.eventbrite.ca/e/2021-icf-smart21-conference-tickets-118675879751


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