Grey County has been named one of the Smart21 Communities of 2025 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).
The recognition highlights cities and regions using technology and innovation to drive growth and improve quality of life.
Communities from nine nations over five continents were named as semi-finalists in ICF’s annual Intelligent Community of the Year Awards Program. The announcement was made at the recent Communities in Transition Conference in Hamilton, Ontario. Grey County joins 20 other regions from around the world, including municipalities from Spain, Brazil, and Taiwan.
ICF’s Smart21 recognition is the first step in the annual Intelligent Community of the Year Awards Program, which identifies communities that demonstrate exceptional advancements in areas like digital connectivity, sustainability, innovation, and economic development.
Grey County Director of Economic Development, Tourism and Culture Savanna Myers said the award is a testament to their dedication to enhancing the region’s technological infrastructure, supporting local businesses, and fostering sustainable growth.
"For the third year running, fourth year overall, Grey County has been named to the Global Smart 21 Smart Communities," explained Myers. "This is an award and an acknowledgement that every one of us shares. All departments in Grey County were partners in this application. Many of our municipalities and community partners were part of the application."
Myers said the recognition acknowledges Grey County’s community-wide approach to improving the quality of life for its residents.
"I think that's the reason we've been so drawn to intelligent community forums over the last several years because it really is a whole community approach," Myers added. "We're looking at how all the pieces come together, how all the players come together, to make sure that nobody gets left behind. And that's something that Grey County has long been committed to and that's how we are building community together."
The next stage of the competition will see the Top7 Intelligent Communities announced on June 17 in Madrid, Spain. The ultimate winner will be revealed at the ICF Global Summit in Binh Duong, Vietnam on October 28.
Smart21 Communities of 2025:
Alcobendas, Spain
Assaí, Paraná, Brazil
Bilbao, Spain
Brightlands-Limburg, The Netherlands
Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye
Chiayi County, Taiwan
Coral Gables, Florida, USA
Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
Fairfield/Jefferson County, Iowa, USA
Grey County, Ontario, Canada
Hilliard, Ohio, USA
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Konya Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye
Langley City, British Columbia, Canada
Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain
Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
Pingtung County, Taiwan
Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Reykjavík, Iceland
Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Spain
Warner Robins, Georgia, USA