Challenge Statement

Edmonton will lead the transformation of Canadian healthcare using an unprecedented municipal approach by focusing on leveraging relationships, health data and innovative technologies to provide a personalized health connection and experience as unique as the health of every Edmontonian.

Summary

A Smart City is first and foremost a Healthy City.

Recognizing urbanization and the increasing role residents’ health affects and is affected by City services, the City of Edmonton proposes that municipal-level intervention is necessary. The City of Edmonton is facilitating the creation of a Healthy City Ecosystem (a partnership of government, industry, academia and residents) to work collaboratively to provide integrated, community-based health support. Addressing social determinants of health, such as connectedness, loneliness and sense of belonging is an innovative, transformational approach, shifting the focus from treating symptoms to one of prevention.

A smart cities approach will enable the creation of a single Health Data Repository, connecting disparate datasets from the stakeholders and the data collected by new technologies, ensuring anonymity and integration to facilitate assessment, analytics and data mining. Residents will access the new municipal health support through a digital tool and devices, allowing them to identify and access additional services, relationships and technologies to improve their individual health and connectedness.