Sustainable Financial Model and Procurement Strategy for Passenger Rail Activities

The main goal for the project is to develop a sustainable financial model for passenger rail activities in Alberta, as well as to investigate and recommend procurement and management approaches to plan, budget, deliver, operate, and manage the rail activities. The project also aims to assess the financial impacts and risks to the Province of Alberta related to the implementation of the sustainable financial model and procurement strategy.

Global Awareness Campaign for Federation of Beer

Federation of Beer has been successfully brewing and distributing Star Trek themed ales in Europe and North America since 2010. With a recent shift towards supporting local brewers and suppliers, the company has pivoted its business practices to promote hyper-local brewing. Despite positive feedback from face-to-face interactions with consumers and Star Trek fans, there is a growing concern that many potential customers are unaware of Federation of Beer's story and its efforts to support local breweries. Additionally, with the expansion into 88 new countries in 2022, there is a significant opportunity to increase the global exposure of these award-winning craft brewers. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive global awareness campaign to enhance the visibility of Federation of Beer and its local brewery collaborations.

Data Analytics Strategy for Transportation Equity

The main goal for the project is to develop and implement a “Data Analytics Strategy” to offer support to indigenous and rural communities which do not have equitable access to cellphone and GIS data for transportation planning. This strategy will involve the development of a “Social Media data extraction” to estimate transit and passenger rail ridership, economic development opportunities, and gaps in rural community infrastructure. The data will be leveraged to predict impacts to rural and indigenous communities and shared with community leaders to benefit future planning decisions and local economic development initiatives.

Sponsorship Attraction Strategy for ITRD

Integrated Travel Research and Development (ITRD) is seeking to enhance its research efforts in transportation, net-zero technologies, regional economic development, and the socio-economic benefits of frequent, affordable, and reliable passenger rail services to rural and indigenous communities. To achieve this, ITRD needs to attract corporate, private, and public sponsorship. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive sponsorship attraction strategy that highlights the value and impact of ITRD's research initiatives. The project will involve analyzing potential sponsors, crafting compelling sponsorship proposals, and creating a marketing plan to engage and secure sponsorships. This will enable ITRD to continue its vital research and contribute to sustainable and equitable transportation solutions.