Kingston, ON
City in Ontario
Canada
Kingston, ON addresses primary care shortfalls with Family Physicians Recruitment Incentive Program
A 2020 report found that 55% of local physicians were not engaged in family practice even as Kingston experienced population growth. City officials approved an eight-year, CAD 2 million incentive fund to increase family physician supply. Doctors who open new practices or take over patients from retiring physicians qualify for CAD 100,000 over a five-year period. A Dual Career Support Program helps the partners of physicians find education and employment opportunities in Kingston.
Kingston, ON
Canada
Kingston, ON provides winter shelter for homeless residents with its sleeping cabin pilot
Kingston approved the placement of 10 single-occupant cabins at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour through April 2022. The 96-square foot cabins from EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies provide energy-efficient and private shelter from the cold. An adjacent vacant restaurant houses showers, restrooms, a kitchen, and a common space for meetings with service providers. The sleeping cabin pilot focused on residents with mobility issues or safety concerns about shared spaces.
Kingston, ON
Canada
Kingston, ON approves a drug analysis pilot that provides real-time intelligence on street drug use
City council members agreed to a 15-month pilot of analysis technology at Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC). Software developed by Spectra Plasmonics allows drug users to test small samples of street drugs prior to use. This platform analyzes drug types and toxicity to generate harm reduction resources for supervised users. KCHC and the City of Kingston will develop clearer pictures of street drug toxicity than those provided by autopsies and drug busts.
Kingston, ON
Canada
Kingston, ON evaluates the potential for a citywide bikeshare network during Dropbike pilot
Dropbike installed 19 dockless bike havens for downtown and Queen's University visitors. The Dropbike app allowed users to unlock bikes and ride for $1 CAD per hour. The pilot required bike parking in havens rather than specific docks. Kingston conducted surveys of participants over the five-month pilot. The 10-question survey asked about ride experiences, preferences, and suggestions for additional havens.
Kingston, ON
Canada
Kingston, ON introduces Snowplow Tracker as part of Smart City partnership with Bell Canada
The Snowplow Tracker map shades local roads in four colors depending on the timing of plow routes. GPS data from municipal trucks corresponds to street colors ranging from green for plowing done less than four hours ago to red for plowing done more than 16 hours ago. Kingston's Smart City partnership with Bell Canada creates a complete picture of city activity through sensors, cameras, and location data.
Kingston, ON
Canada