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Cranbrook, BC (March 10, 2025) – College of the Rockies (COTR) and the City of Cranbrook are moving forward on a joint initiative to co-create and develop social innovation and change for the community-at-large through a new partnership with CityStudio, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

CityStudio, based out of Vancouver, is a locally adaptive partnership model that enables academic institutions like COTR and municipalities like Cranbrook to collaborate effectively. CityStudio is a collaboration kick starter that links the needs of the municipality with the expertise and creativity of local researchers, driven students, and faculty.

“This is an exciting step forward for the College-City partnership,” says Paul Vogt, President & CEO, College of the Rockies. “This project brings together City staff, students, faculty, and the broader community to collaboratively develop innovative projects and help make Cranbrook more sustainable, equitable, livable, and inclusive. I am incredibly proud of the valuable contributions our students will bring to shaping and strengthening our community.”

The City will also gain from this partnership by having students complete work that would otherwise need to be contracted out or may include tasks that supports City staff work. Exactly how this will work is still being determined, based on discussions with CUPE 2090.

“It is great see the City and COTR continue to grow our relationship for the betterment of Cranbrook,” says Mayor Wayne Price. “We look forward to seeing the innovation and creativity, using the CityStudio framework, that COTR students will bring to the community.”

Moving forward, COTR and City staff will meet twice per year to identify and develop project ideas to help further the City’s strategic goals. COTR faculty will then match these projects with courses offered at COTR, ensuring a strong fit between city needs and faculty expertise. As part of their coursework, students will work together with City staff to co-create pilot projects to help benefit the community. Final projects will be launched by students as experiments in the community.

You can learn more about CityStudio online at www.citystudiovancouver.com.