Vancouver business owners could carry out business licensing and other municipal transactions via their smartphones if Vancouver continues to back a plan for a �City App.�
On February 14, City of Vancouver council unanimously supported a motion directing staff to report back on a financial analysis and timeline to create a mobile application.
The motion, put forward by Vision Vancouver Coun. Andrea Reimer, described an app that would allow residents and businesses �to fulfil desired interactions with the city, including access to timely information and services such as business licences and recreation programs, as well as the ability to report problems in their local area� and be available for BlackBerry, Android and iPhone.
Reimer said council needs more information before making a decision on the project.
�It seems prudent, given some of the ill-advised attempts in other cities, that we should look at what the costs are first and how long it takes to do and then move forward.�
She cited problems in the U.K. and Australia, principally around low user interest.
Reimer said the �City App� would allow residents to report problems such as graffiti and illegally parked cars and enable them to receive customized city information.
�You could say, �I�m interested in economic development, I live in Kitsilano and I�m a dog owner,� and anything tagged that way would get pushed to your phone.�
She said the app could also enable residents and business owners to apply for business licences and carry out other municipal transactions via their mobile devices.
However, transactional apps pose a key problem for municipalities, according to Tyler Pedrotti, marketing adviser for the City of Calgary, which has rolled out eight mobile apps over the past two years.
�Apple requires a 30% cut of all transactions that happen within their [iPhone] applications – so that�s been a bit of a barrier for the [City of Calgary],� he said. �If we were to do a recreation transaction or pet licensing, obviously we wouldn�t want to give a 30% cut to Apple on every one of those transactions.�
Reimer said that app fees are among the reasons she wants a financial analysis of the �City App� plan. She said creating a mobile website, perhaps with some companion apps, might allow the city to circumvent the fees.
Pedrotti said the City of Calgary is negotiating with Canada�s telecom giants to look for ways to bypass those transaction costs.
He said Calgary�s apps are a key way to help slash red tape for citizens and businesses.
�We see these apps as an easy and convenient way to connect citizens to city services, bypassing the need to come downtown and fill out a form,� he said. �Ideally, one day all of that can be done from a mobile device, quickly and easily.�
Pedrotti said Calgary�s apps have been downloaded approximately 50,000 times, and its most recent app, which deals with road conditions, was the first app created by a Canadian municipality to hit number 1 on iTunes.
Wendy Stewart, assistant director of corporate communications for the City of Vancouver, said the municipality has thus far created two apps: Vancouver Votes and Vancouver Parks. She said Vancouver Votes cost $5,000 to create, was downloaded just short of 2,000 times and was rated 4/5 by iTunes users.��
