Intelligent Community Forum

Message from the Mayor

I want to thank Greater Monctonians for their efforts and help in supporting our bid to be the Intelligent Community Forum's 2009 Intelligent Community of the Year.  Robert Bell, Executive Director and co-founder of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) spent two days here in April as part of the process to determine the Intelligent Community of the Year.  It's been a lengthy process and started with more than 400 communities vying to be recognized first as a Smart 21 community (view video), and then as a Top 7 community.  As Mr. Bell pointed out, being in the Top 7 means that we've already won.  I think it's important to note that Moncton is among an elite group of seven communities around the world recognized as intelligent communities.  This is no small feat, and we should all be proud. 
 
I am so very proud and thrilled with what we have going on in Greater Moncton.  We had a jam-packed agenda for Mr. Bell during his visit and I know he was impressed with what he saw and heard.  Over and over again, I saw concrete proof of how Moncton has transfomed itself over the past 20 years from a community with a uncertain future to one of the most modern, diversifed economies and fastest growing communities in Canada.  I was truly amazed at the innovation, the entrepreneurial spirit and the passion that I saw from the businesses, schools and other organizations that we visited during our two-day tour. 
 
It was great for me to get out and see and hear some of the fantastic success stories that we have here and how we've used technology to contribute to that success.