The City of Welland is proud to receive the highest level of open data certification from the World Council on City Data (WCCD). Welland now joins ten other Canadian cities in compliance with the ISO 37120 Sustainable Development of Communities: Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life international certification. The WCCD is the only global organization building ISO-standardized independently verified and globally comparable data for cities that helps to create sustainable, resilient, and prosperous cities.
Welland is now aligned with an international network of cities including Shanghai, Dubai, London, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, and Buenos Aires. The city received the highest platinum certification from WCCD by reporting 95 out of the 100 indicators. Open data indicators range from Fire and Emergency Response to Recreation.
Achieving Platinum Certification supports and prioritizes the city’s mandate to develop Welland’s smart city strategies. With a broad inventory of open data and association with the WCCD, the city is now able to compare best practices on a national and international level with other award winning ISO cities. Essentially, Welland’s Platinum Certification will support improvement on delivery of services and information, and permit the city to participate in a worldwide organization that uses standardised metrics to find innovative solutions to shared challenges.
On November 13, 2018, Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of the WCCD, will make an appearance at Welland Civic Square, along with James Patava, VP of Public Affairs & International Relations to present the highest level of ISO 37120 certification to Mayor Frank Campion, Council, and city staff.
“Council are very appreciative of city staff’s commitment to transparency and accountability through an open government mindset and for distinguishing Welland as one of the leading Canadian and international cities for open data initiatives,” said Welland Mayor Frank Campion. “Data is a valuable resource, not just for Council decision-making, but also for providing insight into economic and social issues, and making contributions to the livability, workability, and sustainability of our community.”
“This certification is a result of the hard work of city staff along with the support we’ve received from the Mayor and Council in pursuing smart city initiatives,” said Gary Long, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer. “It also reflects our organization’s culture of innovation that encourages staff to share knowledge, experiment, and collaborate on opportunities to use data and information to enhance city programs and services.”
“Welcoming Welland into the WCCD global network of cities truly highlights the deep commitment of Mayor Campion and his entire team to creating a culture of data within their city,” said WCCD President & CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney. “As an early adopter of ISO 37120 and achieving WCCD certification, Welland is another shining example that a data-driven culture can exist in cities and communities of all sizes. I extend my congratulations to Mayor Campion and the City of Welland.”
The WCCD hosts a network of innovative cities committed to improving services and quality of life with open city data and provides a consistent and comprehensive platform for standardized urban metrics. The WCCD is a global hub for creative learning partnerships across cities, international organizations, corporate partners, and academia to further innovation, envision alternative futures, and build better and more liveable cities.
Visit dataforcities.org for more information on ISO 37120 Sustainable Development of Communities: Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life, or visit welland.ca for more information on this and other smart cities initiatives.
