The City of Nelson is submitting this application on behalf of, and with support from, the communities of the West Kootenay.

SUMMARY
Here in the Kootenays, living rurally makes it difficult and sometimes unsafe to travel. It also makes it difficult to connect with each other and the outside world. Smart Kootenays aims to use data and connected technologies to encourage our residents to make climate friendly travel choices, help us to get to our destinations safely, reliably and efficiently, and ensure digital equality for all of our residents, especially our seniors. We will influence the transportation choices our residents and businesses are making by gamifying environmentally friendly commuting choices using a Fitbit style Rural Commuter Challenge app, a related social media campaign, and real world incentives. We will create a single mobile Smart Transportation app that connects travelers with real-time travel data, Uber-style ride-load-delivery share options, and social media integration to allow for ‘Plan B’ travel. We will enable the adoption of digital technologies by providing open access to Virtual Communication Hubs at our libraries and airports, open access to virtual meeting rooms, and capacity building support in the form of training and outreach. The municipalities of Nelson, Trail, Castlegar and Rossland are working alongside our partners to make this desired future a reality.