Smart Energy Communities Benchmark

The Smart Energy Communities Benchmark (formerly Scorecard) is the first tool of its kind to help local governments and utilities understand where their community stands relative to its peers on a range of 10 critical community energy indicators. By driving action in each of the 10 areas, a community can capture the benefits of what we call a Smart Energy Community. Such a community benefits from new opportunities for local economic development, lower energy costs, a cleaner environment, and improved community resilience.

Go to the Smart Energy Communities Benchmark website

Pilot Communities

Nine communities across Canada are currently piloting the Smart Energy Communities Benchmark:

Nestled on the shores of Lake Saint Louis, the City of Beaconsfield is graced with prime waterfront green space. The exceptionally high standard of living that you find in this community of 20 075 residents has been achieved through a long-standing tradition of responsible government and citizen involvement. Committed to safeguarding its resident's quality of life, Beaconsfield is a member of the Healthy Communities Network, an international movement sponsored by the World Health Organization that promotes collaboration among all sectors of the community. The City's sound financial position and the rising real estate value make a home in Beaconsfield a blue-chip investment.

The Town of Bridgewater is located on Nova Scotia's South Shore and had a population of approximately 8500. Long-known for being "The Main Street of the South Shore," Bridgewater has is the primary commercial and professional service centre in the southern half of the province. Over the past decade, Bridgewater has grown a reputation for embracing sustainable municipal practices and has been recognized nationally as a leader in forward-thinking sustainable initiatives.

As the third largest municipality in Canada, Calgary s home to 1.2 million people, a population that is young - with an average age of 36 years, diverse - with 28% visible minorities, and growing - with 40,000 new people arriving each year from across Canada - and the world. An excellent quality of life, low taxes, proximity to nature and cleanliness make Calgary one of the most liveable cities on the planet!

With the waters of Discovery Passage at our shoreline and majestic mountains as a backdrop, Campbell River is located at the 50th parallel on the east coast of northern Vancouver Island. We are the third largest city on the island, with a population of more than 35,000, and the urban service centre and hub community for approximately 60,000 people living and working in our region. Campbell River is a city with friendly small-town character, a highly accessible location, abundant natural resources and first-class transportation and communications networks. With eco-adventures and internationally renowned salmon fishing, golfing, skiing at Mount Washington and parks and trails for all ages and abilities, as well as fine dining, boutique shopping, advanced educational opportunities, community festivals and cultural treasures, Campbell River has it all!

Grande Prairie is a rapidly growing resource-based community in northwestern Alberta with a population of approximately 63,000 residents. Being a part of the Smart Energy Communities Scorecard Pilot Project is well-timed as we are developing a community energy strategy that optimizes energy delivery systems with the available resources. This project will allow industry, business and residents to understand the benefits of a multi-faceted approach to energy consumption.

The colour and vitality of Inuvik will take you by surprise. You'll see paved streets lined with brightly coloured houses on pilings, dome-shaped buildings and the strange snakelike Utilidor system. In the summer, the town hums with activity. Tourists walk the streets and air charter and construction companies take advantage of the continuous daylight. The community is within the taiga forest, just south of the tree line and west of the open tundra. The Arctic Ocean is only 97 kilometres north and the Arctic Circle is 200 kilometres to the south.

With a population of almost 384,000 in 2016, London is the 6th largest city within the province of Ontario and the fifteenth largest city in Canada. Industry sector leaders like 3M, McCormick Canada, Trojan Technologies, TSC Stores, and London Life all have their Canadian headquarters in London. Over the past several years, the city has witnessed growth in its manufacturing sector, diversifying to include military, aerospace, medical, and automotive parts, and food processing. London is also poised for new business growth in the areas of life sciences, technology, and digital media.

Markham, an award-winning municipality with over 355,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 400 corporate head offices and more than 1,100 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 210 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy. Markham has received the Excellence Canada Gold Award for Organizational Quality & Healthy Workplace, and multiple heritage and environmental awards.

The City of Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories, with a population of approximately 20,000. It is the hub of commerce for the territory and serves as a gateway to smaller communities and southern metropoles. Yellowknife at its roots is a mining city and has successfully managed to balance small town feel with broadening, industrial, commercial and institutional sectors. As a northern city ensuring that our workplaces and homes are well heated is essential to the well-being of our people, land and economy. Climate action, with a particular focus on energy, is high on the priority list for municipal officials, businesses and residents.

News and Media

Six Best in Class Communities Selected to Pilot the Smart Energy Communities Scorecard

News Release - March 14, 2018

Three New Smart Energy Communities Scorecard Pilot Communities Selected

News Release - Dec. 11, 2018

Project Partners

The Smart Energy Communities Scorecard project is being led in partnership by QUEST and Pollution Probe.

Project Supporters

Other Projects

QUEST conducts and packages cutting edge applied research to empower practitioners and decision makers with the tools they need to advance Smart Energy Communities. Find out more about our projects:

Smart Energy Communities Benchmark

Pilot Communities

News and Media

Project Partners

Project Supporters

Other Projects

Economic Impact of New Brunswick Community Energy Plans

Smart Energy Communities Benchmark

Municipalities & Utilities Partnering for Community Resilience

Planning for Resilient Energy Infrastructure in Alberta