Pam Banks, Executive Director of RIC Centre, stated that the RIC Centre is delighted to bring technology innovators like Ready Set Go and ImagineAR together with local BIAs to strengthen the capacity of local businesses to recover from COVID-19 and thrive.

“The goals for this DMS Community Collaboration project are to test consumer and business acceptance of augmented reality walking tours and their impact on the local economy.”

Mark Silver, President of Ready Set Go, stated that using the ImagineAR mobile AR platform is an ideal way for BIAs to help local retailers drive in-store and online revenue.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to lend our experience and expertise to this project to bring families back into their communities for unique and socially-distanced activities this winter.”

The ImagineAR mobile app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Signage will be posted at various locations along Queen Street South in Streetsville to let people know how to activate and join the tours. The interactive walking tours will be updated regularly with new business promotions and fun activities to encourage people to come back and enjoy the outdoors and main street businesses safely.

About RIC Centre

RIC Centre is a not-for-profit innovation hub and business incubator based in Brampton, serving the Peel Region and Southern Ontario. RIC Centre’s focus is to be a dynamic catalyst for tech companies. The team consists of more than 100 expert advisors, industry, academic and government partners. RIC Centre helps companies in Advanced Manufacturing, Internet of Things, Hardware & Software, Cleantech and Life Sciences to commercialize their products and get them to market faster.

About Digital Main Street

Digital Main Street ^[2](DMS) is a program that helps main street businesses achieve digital transformation. DMS, in partnership with FedDev Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, announced its new Future Proof Program on August 19, 2020. With Future Proof, DMS aims to expand their support to help small businesses across Ontario recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future economic storms. The Future Proof program is designed to have regions explore what is possible when we bring the innovation ecosystem together with main street businesses. It offers three streams of support: Transformation Teams, DMS Lab Projects and Community Collaboration Projects.