The more connected a community is:

a) the greater the variety of services
b) the lower the cost of services
c) the higher the quality of life

To date, modern infrastructure services aimed at connecting citizens have focused on physical things like roads, airports, electrical lines and so on. From time to time new technologies are invented, and a community must introduce new kinds of infrastructure to enable new types of services, just like we did with the introduction of electricity, telecommunications, and internet.

Building this infrastructure will enable new kinds of services while reducing the cost of delivery and management of existing of existing se​rvices. Like all good infrastructure, it opens endless new possibilities, some which are easy to see while others cannot be forecasted.

Improved CITIZEN - CITIZEN Communication
- Address-based communication: (optional to block or restrict)
- Send a neighbour an invite to an event
- File a complaint directly to a neighbour (without disclosing your id, not a written message just a multi-select like mow-lawn, shovel snow etc.) If the issue is not resolved, then it can escalate to the city
- Share an emergency response data set with a neighbour. No one can the see details unless they open it and when they do you get a notification but now if something happens they have means to help meaningfully
- coordinate community initiatives, collect qualified feedback and votes etc

Improved CITIZEN - BUSINESS Communication
- Businesses can connect their service offerings to a property, and building occupants/owners can see them in an app store type interface. The service """"app store"""" simplifies finding and managing services for consumers
- Local business could be highlighted in the app store like service listings to help them grow
- Citizens can opt into promotional offerings from vendors which allows them to see specials and promotions
- Once you've added a service provider, you have a real-time chat and a full history of all orders, information and communications
- Business has improved visibility with simple tools to help customers consume their services which means lower costs and higher revenues
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Improved CITIZEN - GOVERNMENT Communication
- Government services and representatives can link to each property similar to the business services
- Once citizen or business connects to a property, they would instantly be connected to all their government representatives and could easily see/create events, chats, and so on
- Governments would now have a mechanism with the required level of security and authentication to enable a digital option for voters. Voting could start with use on small issues and overtime, as people become familiar and comfortable could be scaled up for every type of voting
- Census information could be easily collected as it could be part of a person's profile and an option is granted to use the data for Census. Census collectors could skip homes which use the digital option saving thousands of hours of labour
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Improved EMERGENCY SERVICES
- Each resident can create an emergency response data set which includes whatever data they deem important. This could range from relatives and their phone numbers to medications to pets to names, ages and bedroom locations of children. This data is cryptographically locked and is not visible until it is accessed. The creator gives emergency services a digital key if needed the department uses it to view the data. If this happens, the owner of the data gets a notification with details about who looks at it and when.
- Emergency service groups can also send out notifications to a geographic area and know that messages will also be delivered to people who may not currently be in the area. For instance, a fire is occurring, and emergency services can transmit a recorded call or text the """"Occupants"""" of neighbouring homes. If someone is across town, they still get the call because of their relationship to the property
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Improved BUSINESS - GOVERNMENT communication
- Getting a permit is often complex and costly as it requires research into who to even contact. By Government departments to connect their services to a property simplifies everything for them and business. Now a company will be able to select a property and instantly connect to all the right departments and people
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LET'S MAKE CALGARY THE MOST CONNECTED CITY IN THE WORLD!

These are only a few of the measurable outcomes. What is exciting is it all comes from connecting buildings and lots to a social network like structure, and using relationships between the property and people, government and business to simplify how we connect as a community.

This is the future. Let's take the lead and put our city on the world stage for technology innovation and rachet even higher on the quality of life rankings!

This application requires technology that has already been developed but not yet implemented for a city.

Ideally, data about buildings and lots would be connected directly i​n the network.

PAAVAA's primary purpose is to create a platform of entrepreneurs and local businesses that are easily accessible through a convenient, digital infrastructure.

The application fits well within the economic trend of using smartphones and mobile applications to get things done quickly and affordably. It also fits into the social trend of convenience, coupled with facilitations provided by technology: people are at home more than before and want quick solutions that are cheap and easy to use.

The market niche, of mobile applications, that PAAVAA currently operates within, is growing to become less niche and more widely adapted as a front or interface for many businesses. Further, the service leverages the fact that employment is becoming increasingly more competitive, and aims to capture people that want to start their own business (entrepreneurs) by providing them with a platform for operations and facilitation.

By the number of users on the application- both service providers and customers looking for services. The number of registered businesses is a testament to the number of people that have taken the risk of opening up businesses in Calgary, and that are looking to service the city and its inhabitants and visitors effectively and affordably.

Technology is the foundation for this idea and application; leveraging mobile connectivity to keep everyone connected and provide businesses and entrepreneurs with opportunities to demonstrate their professionalism, experience and customer service proactivity.

"Calgarians will become more involved in the city and more aware of what's going on around them. They will be exposed to more opportunities and more people with a variety of backgrounds and interests. The community engagement within Calgary can drastically increase, making Calgarians feel more included in the city that they call home. Explorcity can contribute to these benefits by allowing people to discover and enjoy their city in a way that is easy and convenient.
"

With technology, explorcity will be readily available and accessible for all people. I will soon be graduating from Software Engineering at the University of Calgary and I have some ideas about how the system could be implemented. Using data mining techniques, information related to events in the city can be collected and aggregated from multiple sources via web scraping and use of public APIs. Web and mobile application development will be needed for a user-friendly interface. Lastly, machine learning techniques could be applied to help personalize a user's experience by recommending events and activities based on their history and interests.

If we wait five years to invest in AI graduates, it'll be too late. Don't leave it to the schools to come up with the program fees. Tell them to start the programs and have the city pay for most of it, charging the students a nominal fee. Keep the standards high allowing only the best and brightest students to be accepted. The AI program is different from any other programs in that it needs to be singled out and given more funding. The bottom line is the program needs to be affordable for most Canadians.
Calgary cannot wait or we'll be left behind as other cities worldwide are already investing in AI education for its citizens.

Calgary can study other cities to find out how they are measuring the effectiveness of their AI education. Do this quick and start implementing a strategy as the "golden opportunity" is going to pass soon.

Technology will be a collaborative effort between the city and the education centers to provide state-of-the-art facilities whereby students can thrive in innovating AI. Students will have to utilize cutting-edge technology create the most advanced AI possible.