Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Hamilton is introducing new digital tools aimed at making it faster and easier for residents to access information about development applications, as part of broader efforts to improve transparency, accessibility and customer service.
New initiatives are expected to simplify what has often been a complex and time-consuming process that can require multiple steps or direct contact with staff to obtain planning information. The tools are expected to make development data easier to find and understand online.
Work is being supported through Hamilton’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard Innovation Track and Implementation Accelerator programs, which focus on improving municipal service delivery and development approvals.
Already measurable progress has been reported through the All4One pilot project, which has reduced municipal processing timelines by 123 days, or 46 per cent, compared with previous standards. The pilot has also improved communication and coordination between city staff and applicants.
“These early results demonstrate that targeted improvements are working,” Mayor Andrea Horwath said in a statement. “By improving access to planning information, reducing delays and modernizing how development applications move through the system, we are helping residents better understand what’s happening in their neighbourhoods while advancing the housing and infrastructure our growing city needs.”
Hamilton has set a goal of advancing the construction of 47,000 housing units by 2031 by reducing administrative barriers and improving access to planning information.
As part of the next phase, planning staff have developed two key tools: a prototype Planning Application information website and a Minor Variance information brochure.
The Planning Application Information website, expected to launch publicly in the coming months, will allow residents to access planning application details online, reducing the need for direct contact with city staff and streamlining the current process. The Minor Variance brochure is designed to provide plain-language information to help residents better understand and navigate the application process.
“The results we are seeing demonstrate what is possible when we focus on improving customer experience and how development applications move through the system,” said City Manager Marnie Cluckie. “We are already seeing measurable improvements in timelines, coordination and communication through pilot projects, while also building new tools that will make planning information more transparent, easier to navigate and more accessible.”
Next steps include creating a a working prototype for a project website using the Engage Hamilton platform. Staff also plan to expand the minor variance brochure model to other planning application types.
The All4One pilot has so far seen three applications receive conditional site plan approval in an average of 28 days.
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