The City of Markham, Ont., has launched the Smart City Accelerator Research Program, in partnership with a telecommunications firm. The program will deploy several Internet of Things (IoT) applications to improve the efficiency of municipal operations and enhance city services for residents.

Markham aims to create a ‘frictionless city’ through innovation and adoption of emerging technologies that will better the overall quality of life for its residents. The initiative provides an opportunity for the city to test various sensor technologies in different business areas.

“Markham will serve as a living lab and an incubator for innovation,” said Frank Scarpitti, mayor of Markham.

Data analytics gathered by the system would enable municipal workers from across city departments to collaborate in real-time and can lead to better-informed decisions about the management of city operations and delivery of services for citizens.

Planned initiatives for the smart city program include:

• asset management (remote tracking of usage and location of municipal equipment);
• water leak detection (sensors on water mains and hydrants to provide real-time status of water system conditions);
• storm/flood water monitoring (manhole and river sensors measure water levels to help manage flood risk and mitigate damage);
• environmental monitoring (temperature and humidity sensors from fixed locations across the city will provide weather data to guide decisions on management of city operations); and
• energy management (sensors will monitor and support analysis of energy usage in municipal buildings to optimize energy management).