Calgary,
18
September
2018
|
09:07
America/Denver

City of Calgary innovations to be highlighted at 2018 Municipal Innovators Conference

Over 200 municipal innovators from across Canada are in Calgary this week for the 2018 Municipal Innovators Conference. Participants will join in three days of workshops, presentations and tours, sharing innovative ideas to improve programs and services for citizens across the country to build better cities.

Hosted by the Municipal Innovators Community, in partnership with The City of Calgary, the conference focuses on Re:Designing Government and will host 90 presenters from across North America, highlighting over 40 innovative programs and projects .

“This conference is a great opportunity for municipal employees to connect and learn from one another to help make our cities even better,” said Lisa Sierra, 2018 Conference Chair, The City of Calgary. “It also gives our team here at The City of Calgary an opportunity to showcase some of the great work being done right here in our own city.”

The City of Calgary will be highlighting innovative projects and initiatives that employees are currently working on to improve programs and services for Calgarians, some of those projects include:

The Power of Partnerships: Calgary and Edmonton join forces on climate change and the economy

From addressing climate change and stimulating economies, to delivering community infrastructure and strategies, more than ever, municipalities are recognizing that partnerships are essential to tackle tough challenges and take advantage of innovative opportunities while delivering municipal services efficiently.

In 2015, staff working with partnerships in Calgary and Edmonton began exploring ways to share knowledge, resources and leading practices to advance the field for the benefit of all. A panel and four breakout sessions will explore how Calgary and Edmonton formed partnership offices, what purpose they serve, and how the model can be leveraged for use in municipal governments across Canada.

Strength over Stigma: A Positive Psychology Model for Mental Health at the Calgary Fire Department

First responders are no strangers to working under difficult and stressful conditions. The Calgary Fire Department is taking a new, strengths-based approach to mental health by assessing a member’s resiliency, and building up what makes a member strong. The goal is to work with firefighters to identify and strengthen their skills and resources so that they can maintain their mental well-being throughout their careers and beyond. The Calgary Fire Department has also committed to working to reduce stigma, improve access to supports, and build educational programming specific to the psychological hazards of first response.

How to Re:Invent your Customer Experience – A Windsor and Calgary Case Study

Residents often struggle navigating the many legislative requirements needed to start a business, acquire a building permit or submit a development application. The City of Windsor and the City of Calgary will showcase how new online research, support and application tools have helped business customers and residents along their journey. This includes the launch of the City of Calgary’s myBusiness online tool at calgary.ca/mybusiness.

This is the fourth annual Municipal Innovators Conference. In 2017 the conference held in Guelph, Ontario, brought together participants from 36 municipalities.

For more information on the conference or to find out more about the Municipal Innovators Community visit municipalinnovators.ca

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