App: Support Local Halifax
Hosted in ArcGIS Online:
Mission Statement
Shopping local is something Canadians are increasingly encouraged to do, but it can be overwhelming to research where to go for all your needs when using traditional mapping apps and search engines. Our app, Support Local Halifax, uses open data to highlight local businesses and green transportation route options of Halifax to help users make more sustainable shopping decisions. Canadians have recently been under more pressure to buy local as geopolitical tensions grow between us and our closest trading partner. Furthermore, shopping local can help reduce the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and shipping goods over long distances. It may also aid in reducing the exploitation of more vulnerable ecosystems and communities that do not have the same environmental or labour protections as Canadians are privileged with. We hope that users will turn to our app to find a store for their needs and then utilize the swiping feature to view bus and bike routes as alternatives to driving.
Video Presentation
Documentation
Team Members
Roxanne Dorris: My name is Roxy, I am a fifth-year undergraduate student at Dalhousie University completing a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology with a minor in Geography and a certificate in GIS. After graduating this year, I hope to combine my interest of marine biology and geography by pursuing a Master’s in seafloor mapping. When I’m not in the lab I enjoy reading and hiking along the coasts of Nova Scotia.
Mo Li: I’m Mo, and I’m currently a Master of Planning student at Dalhousie University with a passion for transportation planning. I have a background in GIS and spent over two years working in consulting, using GIS on various projects across the Atlantic provinces. I’m especially interested in how spatial analysis can help improve transportation systems and urban planning.
Sasha Chilibeck: Hi, I'm Sasha. I am completing my fifth and final year of undergraduate at Dalhousie University in Environmental Science and Biology. I am interested in using GIS to research spatial ecology and conservation strategies for species at-risk. When not grinding out school work, I enjoy birdwatching, hiking, and drawing.