Organization Description
Kingston's vision of being a smart, livable, 21st century city is fast becoming a reality.
History innovation thrive in our dynamic city located along the beautiful shores of Lake Ontario, an easy drive from Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, in the heart of eastern Ontario. With a stable and diversified economy that includes global corporations, innovative startups and all levels of government, Kingston's high quality-of-life offers access to world-class education and research institutions, advanced healthcare facilities, affordable living and vibrant entertainment and tourism activities.
Project Details
Kingston CMA鈥檚 vacancy rate was the second lowest among Ontario鈥檚 CMAs for the second consecutive year, with low vacancy rates being felt throughout the country. The housing crisis is a complex issue that requires a paradigm shift from all stakeholders, including all levels of government, private corporations, not-for-profits, skilled workers, institutions and citizens. Staff will be exploring new ways to foster innovative approaches to housing. This includes exploring software solutions to match residences with empty bedrooms with those looking for accommodation.
Home sharing platforms exist globally such as: Nesterly, SparrowShare, Silvernest, Roomi, Roomster, Sparrow, Canada Homeshare, Spaces Shared, etc. These platforms all have strengths and weaknesses when you consider availability (many are not yet available in Canada), ease of use, verification process, search and filter options, safety features, compatibility mechanisms, reliability, fees, etc. This challenge asks students to assess software solutions on the market (or what鈥檚 missing on the market), the Canadian context, and the Kingston context to recommend options that could be successful locally. What features would thrive in our unique context? Does it require a made-in Kingston solution or support behind an existing option? Are there ways the municipality could move a solution forward? E.g., advocacy for government support of an existing solution, local partnership to advance a solution, a made-in Kingston approach, etc.
This project can be completed remotely and meetings can take place either in person or online.
Project Goals
Explore software solutions to match residences with empty bedrooms with those looking for accommodations.
Project Type: Project submitted by organization
Deliverables: Presentation Report
Estimated number of hours: To be determined
Frequency of project discussion meetings: 3 times in total (e.g., beginning, middle and end of the project)
Contact Details
Want to learn more about this project or organization? Contact the Experiential Learning & Programming Team asc.el@queensu.ca with your name and the title of the project of interest.