Open Call for Innovation

We believe good ideas come from anyone and everyone – and that includes you.

That's why every year TransLink issues an Open Call for Innovation. Each Open Call invites submissions from the public and private sectors to address a transportation-related challenge that we face as a region. It's all part of our broader plan to partner with industry leaders, innovators, academics, and policymakers to collaborate on new mobility solutions that will help enhance the livability of Metro Vancouver.

For successful submissions, TransLink offers funding and collaboration to incubate, develop, pilot, and implement your idea. We'll work with you to make your good idea even better and help turn it into reality.

We're looking for innovative ideas to address the new challenge statement: How can we improve health, safety, and public trust as we welcome customers back to the public transit system in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The 2020 Open Call for Innovation is now open, and TransLink is asking for your ideas on Our Region’s Recovery.

As we re-start BC's economy and begin to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to provide safe and reliable transit solutions for our staff and customers as they return to work, to school, and to moving around the region.

We're seeking ideas on how innovative technologies, solutions, processes, business models, and partnerships can help welcome customers back to public transit in Metro Vancouver, such as:

Further reducing physical touch points and enhancing sanitization and ventilation on the system;

Supporting physical distancing while efficiently managing customer flow in transit facilities and vehicles;

Modifications or additions to the physical space, hardware, and amenities at transit facilities or on vehicles that would directly or indirectly reduce the risk of viral transmission and help make transit riders feel more comfortable;

Improving TransLink’s ability to gauge and anticipate evolving travel preferences and patterns (e.g. analytics capabilities);

Improving TransLink’s ability to help shape those travel preferences and patterns (e.g. rewards, incentives, providing information to customers, demand management including shifting demand to walking or cycling) in order to make the most effective use of our now limited transit system capacity;

Ensuring good and equitable transit access for residents of all ages and abilities – especially to essential services such as health care and groceries;

Reducing the cost and enhancing the effectiveness of the measures announced in TransLink’s Safe Operating Action Plan; and

Generally making transit as attractive and competitive a travel choice as possible.

For more information, see our Information Package with Terms and Conditions.

Please note that we will screen the first 100 ideas submitted on a rolling basis each successive 14-day period after the opening date to identify possible solutions more quickly. Co-funding will be limited to projects that offer clear cost-saving or efficiency benefits.

The deadline for submissions is October 22, 2020.

Past Open Calls for Innovation

2018 "Seamless Mobility" The inaugural Open Call for Innovation focused on bringing the opportunities of seamless mobility to Metro Vancouver – how it can be achieved and how barriers can be overcome. TransLink received 90 submissions and announced a joint initiative with Modo Co-op, Mobi by ShawGo, and BCAA (Evo Car Share) in January 2019 as an outcome of this Open Call.