York Region - Regional Digital Planning and Development
We recently worked with the folks in York Region and their 9 area municipal partners to review the opportunities for increased digitization of the planning process and for enabling improved digital collaboration between municipalities and agencies around handling development applications.
We evaluated current as-is processes between local municipalities and the Region. We looked closely at how school boards, conservation authorities and other parties, including provincial agencies fit into the process.
The level of duplication between agencies is significant - and this duplication contributes to delays in the process.
The consulting team built a set of recommendations around a future strategy focused upon digitization of the application process and the back office process in those municipalities that don't yet have digitization. But, at the centre of the concept is a data exchange hub that will automate data and document transfer between agencies. A clear business case was built that shows a very clear return on investment for all agencies across the Region.