At the City Initiatives and Planning Committee on May 21st, Council received a report for information giving an update on the City’s Development Applications Process Improvement Project. The project was completed in December 2023.   

Following Phase 2, the first round of improvements was made: 

• Implemented a new team-based approach to development application processing which includes members from Planning, Building, Engineering, and Environment; 
• Implemented a new Development Team meeting structure and agenda, freeing up over 700 hours of staff time each year; and 
• Developed a long-term process improvement implementation plan that will guide the City beyond the timeline of this project, including a simplified model of the new application process map that has been implemented.  

A second round of process improvements is now underway and includes the implementation of new templates that will improve communication with applicants and reduce staff time on data entry and management, updated online application forms, and enhanced web section content that will provide greater guidance and transparency to applicants, and more process guidance support for all Development Team staff. 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff.