HelpSeeker Technologies
{{Short description|Canadian software company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = HelpSeeker Technologies
| logo = HelpSeeker Technologies logo.png
| industry = Software
| founded = 2018
| hq_location_city = Calgary
| key_people = Alina Turner
Travis Turner
| website = {{url|https://www.helpseeker.co/}}
}}
HelpSeeker Technologies is a Canadian software company that was founded in 2018 and awarded $2.5 million from the Government of Canada in 2021.
Organization and history
HelpSeeker is based in Calgary, Alberta.{{Cite web |last=Denis |first=Jen St |date=2022-11-09 |title='Copaganda’: Critics Challenge Police Report on Social Spending |url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/11/09/Copaganda-Useful-Spending-Critique/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=The Tyee |language=English}} It was founded in 2018 by Alina Turner and Travis Turner who are married.{{Cite web |last=Stephenson |first=Amanda |date=12 Feb 2021 |title=Calgary social services tech startup gets $2.5 million from Ottawa to scale up |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-social-services-tech-startup-gets-2-5-million-from-ottawa-to-scale-up |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=calgaryherald |language=en-CA}}
The company was given $2.5 million by the Government of Canada in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Valleau |first=Natalie |date=12 Feb 2021 |title=Calgary company receives $2.5M in federal funding for social services app |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/helpseeker-homelessness-app-funding-1.5912419}}
Activities
The company sells digital products that assist clients to understand social services around them.
Vancouver Police Department commissioned HelpSeeker to analyse spending on social services in Vancouver during 2018 and 2019.{{Cite news |last=Larsen |first=Karin |date=8 Nov 2022 |title=Vancouver police call for centralized body to co-ordinate services on the Downtown Eastside |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vpd-social-safety-net-report-1.6645351}} HelpSeeker charged the police $149,000 for the work. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim was critical of HelpSeekers analysis, stating "It is difficult to trace the source of the figures given in this report."{{Cite news |date=10 Nov 2022 |title=Le maire de Vancouver juge peu utile le rapport de la police sur le filet social |work=Radio Canada |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1931803/police-rapport-filet-securite-sociale-pauvrete-vancouver-aide}} Mike Farnworth, Canada's Minister of Public Safety was also critical of the analysis, calling it "sensationalized" and "misleading".
Edmonton Police Service commissioned HelpSeeker to produce a report called Money in the System.{{Cite web |last=Johal |first=Rumeek |last2=Magusiak |first2=Stephen |date=2022-11-17 |title=Police Across Canada Are Hiring a Tech Company to Justify Bigger Budgets and Belittle Social Services |url=https://pressprogress.ca/police-across-canada-are-hiring-a-tech-company-to-justify-bigger-budgets-and-belittle-social-services/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=PressProgress |language=en}}[https://edmontonpolicecommission.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1D-Attachment-1-Motion-1D-Money-in-the-system-Helpseeker.pdf Social Impact Audit], Edmonton Police, June 2022 Ottawa Police Service engaged HelpSeeker in 2021 to provide a "Social Impact Audit."{{Cite web |title=Community service providers unhappy with police-commissioned report on reimagined public safety model |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ops-commissioned-report-sparks-indignation-from-community-service-providers |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}External links
- [https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/CommunityPolicing/MoneyintheSystem Money in the System] (report), Edmonton Police Service
Category:2018 establishments in Alberta
Category:Canadian companies established in 2018
Category:Companies based in Alberta
Category:Technology companies established in 2018