Parramatta makes top 21 smart cities list

The City of Parramatta has announced that the International Community Forum (ICF), a global think tank, has listed Parramatta as one of 21 smart communities in the world at its annual Intelligent Community of the Year Awards program hosted in Canada.

This is the first time Parramatta has appeared in the list and it is the only Australian city named among 20 other communities from nine countries across the world, including Brazil, Canada, Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Türkiye and the USA.

Smart21 communities were recognised through initiatives and projects across six core themes, including connectivity, employment, innovation, engagement, digital inclusion and sustainability within their cities.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said this is proof Parramatta is emerging as a global city in the eyes of the world.

“Parramatta has entered a new era of global transformation, and we’re laying the foundation to create a more connected city that unlocks a world of opportunities for our community now and in the future,” he said. “Our Smart City and Innovation Strategy is our blueprint to enhance connectivity and innovation across our city and we were one of the first councils to adopt a Smart City Master Plan.”

From the ICF headquarters in New York, Executive Director Matthew Owen said the program recognises the hard work and efforts of all 21 communities involved.

“The emergence of intelligent communities worldwide demonstrates the universal appeal of our message that any place a person calls ‘home’ can become a liveable, sustainable and prosperous community,” he said. “Parramatta has done just that and earned its place among the global list of intelligent communities.”

Smart21 finalists have an opportunity to apply to become one of the Forum’s Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, announced in Spain in June, with the 2025 Intelligent Community of the Year to be revealed at ICF’s Global Summit held in Vietnam in October.

Image credit: iStock.com/JohnCarnemolla