Brazeau County and Surrounding Counties Named Finalist for Smart Cities Challenge Grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Wanda Compton
Brazeau County
780-542-7777
wcompton@brazeau.ab.ca
Brazeau County and Surrounding Counties Named Finalist
for Smart Cities Challenge Grant
BRAZEAU COUNTY, July 13, 2018 — Along with Parkland, Lac Ste. Anne, and Yellowhead Counties, Brazeau County has been named a top 10 finalist out of more than 200 submissions for the Government of Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge based on their plan to revitalize agriculture through technology and innovation.
As finalists, the counties have received a $250,000 grant, which will be used to develop a final proposal that will outline all design, planning, and project management components of the plan. The counties are the only rural finalists in the Smart Cities $10 million prize category. If selected as winners, the prize will be used to create more prosperous and safe rural communities.
The Brazeau-Parkland-Lac Ste. Anne-Yellowhead proposal seeks to enhance market and knowledge links with urban Canada and beyond. Data-driven discussions will bring farmers closer to people’s kitchen tables and address misconceptions about how food is produced. The plan will improve safety and security in rural areas by reducing accidents between large machinery, and improve regional security through technology adoption.
“The Parkland ‘Smart Cities Challenge’ is inspiring,” says Leanne Bellegarde, a member of the Smart Cities jury. “Through innovative technologies, they will capture data that is not only about farming innovation and sustainable land practices, but also about encouraging the future of farming.”
“Harnessing the power of new innovative technologies begins with broad rural access to reliable high-speed Internet,” says Brazeau County Reeve Bart Guyon. “We are proud to be a Smart Cities Challenge finalist with the other three counties, and look forward to sharing in the $10 million prize to benefit our residents.”
The winners of the Smart Cities Challenge will be announced in the spring of 2019. For more information, please visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca/cities-villes/finalists-finalistes-eng.html.
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