The Comox Valley Regional District has introduced quick response (QR) codes into its print advertising, providing information in a convenient fashion and an easy link between the real and virtual worlds.

The matrix or barcodes are two-dimensional mosaics of black and white squares, distinguished by large squares in three corners. They can be scanned with a smartphone code reader application, providing immediate access to information through mobile devices.

It鈥檚 as easy as taking a picture of the bar code, says Koreen Gurak, CVRD鈥檚 manager of communications.

鈥淚t takes you right to the web page, or to the mobile page with the information,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s smartphones become readily more used, and people have them at their fingertips, they want information at their fingertips as well. So it鈥檚 a great way for people that are connected in that sense of having their smartphone being connected and allowing them quick access to information or schedules, or information they are looking for in the regional district.鈥�

If reading a newspaper, for instance, one can take a picture of the barcode and information will pop up, saving the step of pulling up a website.

鈥淪o it鈥檚 just an easier way to get the information,鈥� Gurak said, noting the CVRD 颅SmartLink diminishes the loss of potential CVRD website visitors who forgot to copy information from the advertisement.

鈥淥ver the next year, we鈥檙e looking at mobile pages and making things as easy for people to get on the smartphone, so they don鈥檛 necessarily need to be sitting at a computer to get it.鈥�

For more information visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/smartlink.

Coldwell Banker and Dave Hampshire of Re/Max have begun to use the technology in their print advertising in the Comox Valley Record.