HALIFAX, N.S. – The federal government has released its list of 20 finalists for the Smart Cities Challenge and Cornwall is not on it.
The pan-Canadian contest by Infrastructure Canada was for grant money to improve the lives of residents through innovation, data and connected technology.
The list, released Friday, has three communities from Ontario, five from Quebec, three from Alberta, three from B.C., and one each from Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
One of the Quebec entries was the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. It will advance with its project to decrease the rate of diabetes in the community.
There were over 200 entries.
The finalists were announced during the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference. The 20 communities will advance and try to win prizes of $50 million, $10 million and $5 million, which will be announced in spring 2019.
Cornwall’s submission was the design and installation of a Safe Home Monitoring System – a wireless home system city-wide for emergencies. The idea was met with some public criticism through social media with inferences to Big Brother by having a system “watching” all homes in the city 24-7.
In February, council endorsed the plan which saw a committee formed and about 40-50 hours of staff time put into the application for a possible $250,000 grant.