Vancouver Happns Upon a New Dating App

Paris-based dating app brings romance back to Vancouver

We’ve heard it time and again: Vancouver has the world’s worst dating scene. What we don’t often hear is a solution. But imagine there was a way to encourage chance encounters—those romantic grocery store, bus stop scenarios we romanticize—in the palm of your hand?That’s the exact premise behind Paris-based mobile application happn, which launched in Canadian markets last fall. Founded by Didier Rappaport, the mastermind behind DealCircle and Dailymotion, happn was created to connect singles with hyper-local, like-minded people.Unlike its precursors that are met with controversy for their convenience-above-all policies, happn is designed to give you a rare second chance introduction with those who have already caught your eye. Whether it’s the cute guy you pass each morning on your seawall jog, the stunning girl you locked eyes with on the SkyTrain or the well-dressed gentleman who held the elevator door, happn’s GPS technology shows eligible singles that have been within three blocks, with a map that determines the approximate place and number of times you crossed paths.The clever technology is quickly antiquating those I Saw You classified listings of the past. Users are given the opportunity to anonymously “heart” someone they are interested in—which is revealed only once reciprocated—or to confidently “charm” them with an instant notification. And the real-time refresh of potential candidates practically guarantees you have something in common to begin with, be it a favourite bar, regular yoga studio or postal code.Despite constant reminders about Vancouver’s pathetic dating culture, locals’ emphatic welcome of the app—which reached over 13 million users worldwide earlier this year—proves they haven’t given up on love just yet. Download happn for free on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.