Marketing Students Introduce Hydrate Hub: A Sustainable Solution for Toronto's Water Fountain Woes

HLOs:

In collaboration with the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship (CFE) Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) program, Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing students Jordyn Carter and Ben Durbin have launched Hydrate Hub, an initiative aimed at addressing Toronto's water fountain challenges while promoting local businesses and reducing plastic bottle waste.

The Hydrate Hub concept aims to transform the maintenance cost of public water fountains into an opportunity for local businesses to connect with residents. With the City of Toronto facing criticism over the condition of its public water fountains, particularly during last summer's heatwave when only 60% of the 700 fountains were operational, the initiative comes at a crucial time.

The financial burden of maintaining water fountains, which costs approximately $700 per fountain annually and totals $490,000 for all 700 fountains in Toronto, underscores the significance of the issue. Besides the hydration benefits for citizens, functional water fountains play a pivotal role in reducing plastic bottle waste and preserving the city's water supply, essential for sustainability efforts.

Hydrate Hub proposes a solution wherein for-profit and not-for-profit organizations could sponsor water fountains in exchange for advertising space. QR codes on the fountains could help residents find local businesses or other water fountains and would be integrated into fitness apps, such as Garmin and Strava, so athletes can easily find water on a hot summer day.

The idea has already garnered positive interest from local businesses, with a scheduled meeting with Toronto Parks & Recreation indicating potential support. The initial phase will involve a pilot project in Guelph, followed by a gradual expansion into Toronto, offering the promise of cleaner water fountains and reduced plastic waste with the help of Hydrate Hub.

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