P.E.I. gets EzCity app that helps newcomers to the Island

Newcomers to P.E.I. now have a new way to findwhat they need to help them get settled on the Island.

From government resources to restaurants, it can all be searched, in multiple languages, on the new app called EzCity.

The app launched in June and already has 700 users.

It was developed by software solutions company EasyPEI.The inspiration came to the owner,Edward Wang,when he was trying to set up his business, said EasyPEI'soperations and marketing manager Peng Peng.

"The language and cultural issue, it's a barricade for us to set up business here even though he's very experienced in running a business," she said.

"He needs to know, maybe, where to find the government department and where to find the accountant, the lawyer, all of these things and he has a lot of troubleand he suddenly came up with ...this program."

Pengsaidshe experienced similar problems when she first arrived onP.E.I. to study. She made a lot of mistakesand said the goal of the app is to help newcomers avoid those mistakes and access the resources they need directly.

Theapp works like a search engine or yellow pages, users can search by category or keywords. The difference is this app operates with six different languages.

Peng explained that some words in other languages just don't have a literal translation to English, which can make searching online difficult.But when a user can type in their own language, it makes finding thingseasier.

The app is free for users and businesses.Businesses can also buy advertising and sign up for additional services, like promotions, for a fee.

Most of the app's search results arestill in English but the team is working on translations and on making the app better, said software developer Jason Xu.

One way Xu wants to improve the app is by adding an events function to show newcomers what is happening in Charlottetown and on the Island.

When the appis more developed, EasyPEI hopes to take it to cities with even larger immigrant populations like Montreal and Toronto.

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