This week the City of Vancouver approved its first-ever digital strategy, continuing City Hall’s work to support the local digital economy and improve service delivery for citizens. Here’s some of the reaction from the press and on social media: 

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The Mayor and City Council will vote next week on the first-ever digital strategy for the City of Vancouver, continuing City Hall’s work to support the local digital economy and improve service delivery for citizens.

The strategy focuses on improving the way the City provides services online for citizens and small businesses, supporting our dynamic local digital media industry, and putting Vancouver at the forefront of support for digital innovation.

“Making Vancouver a leader in digital innovation has been a key priority of my work as Mayor,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The City’s first-ever digital strategy represents another significant step forward in our efforts to improve how City Hall does business and engages with citizens, how we support leading-edge job creation in our local technology and creative sectors, and how we foster digital innovation to make life better for all Vancouver residents.”

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The City of Vancouver is very excited to be named host city for the final soccer game of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 and eight other games leading up to the final.

The news was announced this morning at simultaneous press events in Switzerland, Edmonton and here in Vancouver.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup final is the pinnacle of women’s international soccer and the single largest women’s sporting event in the world,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said. “Millions of fans around the world will be focused on Vancouver for the final match and we look forward to welcoming international fans to the city and hosting a truly memorable celebration.

“We will be cheering for Team Canada from the opening match and hope the team will be part of an exciting final. The team’s exceptional play and bronze medal finish at the London Olympics was a huge inspiration for Canadians and especially young players.”

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Vancouver named city, global and people’s choice champion –

The City of Vancouver was today named Global Earth Hour Capital 2013 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) at an awards ceremony in Malmo, Sweden, one of three prestigious awards given to the city.

The Global Earth Hour Capital award recognizes a city taking serious action to address climate change. As the Canadian winner of a WWF Green City Challenge Award, Vancouver was in contention for the Global Award with finalists from India, Italy, the United States, Sweden and Norway.

Voters from around the world also selected Vancouver as the People’s Choice winner out of the 17 cities who were national WWF Green City Challenge finalists.

“Being named the WWF’s Global Earth Hour Capital is an exceptional honour for Vancouver and more international validation of our comprehensive efforts to be the world’s greenest city,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson.

“Even as national governments fail to act, it’s essential that cities continue to lead the way in confronting climate change, and Vancouver’s progress demonstrates that building a greener city also fosters a stronger local economy.”

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The City of Vancouver and Vancouver Foundation today announced the 17 recipients of the 2012 Community Grants from the Greenest City Fund, who will receive a total of $391,500 in funding.

Co-funded by the City and the Foundation, the Community Grants are part of the Greenest City Fund — a four-year, $2 million fund that supports community-led green projects in Vancouver.

“We invited local organizations to come up with their best ideas on how to help make Vancouver the greenest city in the world by 2020,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “These grants are designed to support community-based organizations that are working towards Greenest City goals.

“And today, at Vancouver Technical Secondary School, along with Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society, we are kicking off one of 17 such projects around the city. With a grant of $35,000, students at ‘Van Tech’ and David Thompson Secondary will develop schoolyard market gardens that will serve as outdoor classrooms for students and teachers, and provide produce to go into school cafeterias to provide healthy, nutritious lunches for fellow students.

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Last night Vancouver City Council unanimously approved zoning bylaw changes that will create significant new affordable artist space in Vancouver, by allowing work-only art studio uses in all of the city’s industrial districts. The potential space in which artists are eligible to rent for studios is expanding fourteen-fold, from 2 million square feet to 28 million square feet.

“Vancouver is home to one of the most talented and innovative creative sectors of any city in the world, and the City of Vancouver is committed to using every tool at its disposal to support our local arts and culture community,” said Mayor Robertson. “The median income of a working artist is about 36% below the Vancouver labour force average, so finding affordable and suitable studio space is a frequent challenge for emerging artists. These new opportunities in industrial districts will strengthen our creative community and support artists by providing an unprecedented increase in the availability and affordability of much-needed artist space in neighbourhoods all across Vancouver.”

Work-only artist studios are now allowed in all 12 of the City’s industrial districts, increasing the area of industrial lands allowing art uses from 70 acres to nearly 1300 acres. Council also approved changes to remove the 500 square-metre limit on artist work-only studios, enabling artist groups to partner on studio space.

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