Tomorrow’s Connected Communities: ICT Strategies and Opportunities

Connected Urban Development Global Conference 2008

Bill Hutchison Chair, i-Waterfront Advisory Council Executive Director, Intelligent Communities Waterfront Toronto bhutchison@waterfrontoronto.ca

www.waterfrontoronto.ca

San FranciscoFebruary 21 2008

Established 2001

Three levels of government

Mandate to lead and oversee all aspects of revitalization

Waterfront Toronto

World’s Largest Urban Revitalization Initiative

Context for Revitalization:• Revitalization vs. Redevelopment• Goals: Sustainable Economic and Social Development• Blending Business Capital and Human Capital

• $17 billion– $4 billion public sector

– $13 billion private investment

• Four Districts – Exhibition Place/Ontario Place

– East Bayfront

– West Don Lands

– Port Lands

• 200 hectares of parks and public spaces

• Major Film Studio

• 40,000 residential units: +100,000 residents

• Ten million square feet of employment space

Overall Scope

Context for RevitalizationRevitalization vs. redevelopment

Public Policy Agenda:–

Reduce urban sprawl

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Develop sustainable communities

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Build more affordable housing

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Create more parks and public spaces

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Expand public transit

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Increase economic competitiveness

Public Accessibility

Sustainable Development

Design Excellence

Economic Prosperity

Fiscal Sustainability

Fundamental Principles

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Leading edge technology and innovation

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Mixed use/local services

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Transit

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Parks & Open Spaces

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Green Building Requirements

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District Energy

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Intelligent Communities

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Market Transformation

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Sustainability Framework/Swedish Audit

Sustainability

Vision –

Overall Scope

Lake Ontario Park

Waterfront Neighbourhoods

Lower Don Lands

Port LandsPort Lands

East East BayfrontBayfront

West Don LandsWest Don Lands

Central Waterfront Promenade

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International design competition

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Bathurst to Parliament

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Continuous public access

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Transform Queens Quay into iconic boulevard

West Don Lands & East Bayfront

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130 acres of parks and public spaces -

25% of precinct

•

12,000 residential housing units, including 2,400 social

•

3, 000,000 sq ft commercial

•

Elementary School(s)

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Recreation and childcare centres

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Community Wellness Centre

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Transit, bikeways & pedestrian connections

Strategy for Sustainable Economic & Social Development: Create a new Intelligent Community; “i-Waterfront”

• Proven over 20 years to facilitate economic and development

• Ensures Business Innovation AND Social Innovation

• Key to success =

i-waterfront*Net (low-cost gigabit broadband intelligent communications infrastructure: FTTH and ubiquitous wireless

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Experienced Team

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Integrated Design Process

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LEED Gold Certification

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Minimum Energy Use

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Green Roofs

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District Energy

Green Building Specifications

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District Energy system in the West Don Lands and East Bayfront

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District Energy provides heating and cooling to a community of buildings from one central plant

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Reduces costs of new buildings, lowers air emissions, improves air quality, consistent with corporation’s sustainability goals

District Energy

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Transit first approach; within 5 minute walk of all residences

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EA underway

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Construction scheduled to start 2008; service operational in

2009

Transit

i-waterfront*net: Open Access Architecture

Residents

Businesses

Institutions

Content and servicesUltra broadband Infrastructure

Content and service providers

Digital Media Business•

Focus on new digital media companies as part of employment strategy

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Filmport, Corus Entertainment are new anchors in the precinct

The Key Elements in Implementing i-Waterfront

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Community collaboration:–

Define the vision–

Create the roadmap

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Economic development, marketing and inbound investment:–

Building the i-Waterfront plan into the economic development and job creation plans

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Leadership:–

Education of the WATERFRONToronto Board of Directors–

Create and use of the i-Waterfront Advisory Council–

Create focused subcommittees of the Advisory Council to lead the

e-application strategies

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Create international expert panel on broadband infrastructure

Other Global Intelligent Communities*

As selected by the Intelligent Community Forum, “ICF”…..a Global Think Tank based in New York

Taipei, Waterloo, Glasgow, Sunderland, Mitaka, Singapore, Tianjin, Seoul, Vasteras ………

and many more

The Winning Characteristics : Community leadership, collaboration, digital democracy,

marketing, sustainability, advanced broadband infrastructure

In Closing

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Ultra broadband infrastructure provides the foundation and the first step

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The e-applications generate usage social prosperity and sustainable economic development.

www.WATERFRONToronto.ca