401B - E-Permitting: The Decision-Making Process

October 13, 2021

12:15PM - 12:45PM

The demands of local government are constantly evolving as society insists that more be done with fewer resources. This is causing decision makers to re-examine the way they deliver services in an effort to find efficiencies and reduce costs. Agencies are turning their attention toward implementing digital solutions in hopes they will solve all of their problems.
 
The land development and construction sectors are among the least digitized globally, which has led to prolonged and uncertain approval timeframes. This became more evident when the Province went into a state of emergency in March 2020, and the sector as a whole was left scrambling to find alternative ways of providing needed services.
 
Many approval bodies were given some relief when the Province passed regulations suspending timeframes and limitation periods prescribed by provincial law for the duration of the emergency. The building code, however, was deemed exempt from this order and municipal building department were still looked upon to deliver normal services for those types of construction projects that were defined as essential activities.
 
Transformation that would usually take two years to implement occurred in two weeks. How did this happen?
 
Many building departments had been exploring options to introduce digital solutions into their processes prior to the pandemic, and a large amount of the ground work had already been laid. Like all transformation initiatives, the deciding factor is ultimately in the value the change provides both in delivering and receiving the service. Will this improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your department’s operations? Will users embrace this new way of doing business?
 
This presentation focuses on establishing a clear definition of how digital approvals will create value for the municipality as well as the customers they serve.
 

Speakers