Canada keen to cooperate in India's 'Smart City' project

This offer was made by the visiting Canadian Minister of International Trade Ed Fast during his meeting with the Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister M.Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Canadian Minister made detailed queries about the new initiatives in urban sector including building of 100 Smart Cities, Housing for All and infrastructure development in urban areas of the country. He sought to know the clear timelines for execution of these schemes and specific areas requiring technologies and investments.

Naidu gave a detailed account of various initiatives and suggested cooperation in respect of affordable housing, waste water recycling, sanitation and public transport infrastructure in urban areas and building smart cities.

Ed Fast elaborated on Canada’s expertise in wood based housing technology that enables multi-story construction that India can consider to meet its ambitious housing targets. He said, life span of such houses is about 60 years and is amenable for renewal. He also offered technology for waste water recycling.

Noting that three of Canada’s cities viz., Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary figure among the top 10 smart cities of the world, Ed Fast said, his country is keen to partner with India in an appropriate manner in building smart cities.

The visiting minister noted that Canada is impressed by the new found sense of purpose and vigor in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his country is keen to cooperate with New Delhi in all possible ways.

Urban Development Minister directed the Secretaries of his two ministries to examine Canada’s offers for firming up areas of cooperation before the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Canadian counterpart during the forthcoming G-20 Summit.