Sudbury looking for ideas for Smart Cities Challenge

The City of Greater Sudbury is seeking innovative pitches on using information technology to improve lives.

The city is taking part in the Smart Cities Challenge, put forward by the Government of Canada.

The winning idea from all submissions across Canada will receive $10 millionfor development.

Information technology director with the city Peter Taylor says he hopes the challenge will inspire Sudburians to compete.

"This is part of a broader strategy on making sure that we engage with citizens on how to leverage technology to improve life," he said.

Taylor says there are so many ways to use information technology for the public good, giving this example.

"You can put sensors on traffic lights that sense how close an emergency vehicle, an approaching emergency vehicle is and start switching the light to green," he said.

The competition for Sudbury's great idea will close April 6.