"Cut Red Tape is working"

Since Mayor Nenshi was first elected, he has worked hard with citizens, businesses, and City of Calgary employees to cut red tape at City Hall. In a recent news release from the Calgary Home Builders' Association - Calgary Region (which is also one of the industry partners working on the Cut Red Tape committee), the group applauds how red tape has been cut so far. Here's the release (cross-posted from its website):

Kudos to City’s ePermits

Posted February 5, 2014

The City of Calgary’s commitment to Cut Red Tape is working – and it’s making it easier for our industry to do business.

The new online building permit system, implemented as of January 1 this year, has resulted in significant time savings and an easier way to do business with the City of Calgary, says one of the largest city builders.

“This has been a great initiative by the City, which I believe has had instant payback in both the building industry and the City of Calgary,” says Devin Dyler, design manager, Calgary Homes, for Brookfield Residential.

Brookfield was one of the companies chosen to test the new process, a new e-permitting process implemented through years of collaboration with City staff and Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Calgary Region volunteers on the Technical Council.

“Up until late November (last year), each week a design member from Brookfield would book off a half day to travel to the City and apply for numerous permits,” says Dyler. “Not only was this lost time, there was an obscene amount of paper documentation involved for each permit, parking and travel mileage.”

It is now faster and easier to apply for a residential permit.

“Thanks to the input of our customers, volunteer home builders and our employees, we’ve developed, tested and enhanced an online tool that is not only efficient but easy to use,” says the City on its website www.calgary.ca.

A total of 17,500 building permits were issued by the City of Calgary last year and 50,000 trade permits. See the infographic below for more information on the activities through the City’s Planning and Development services.

“The City has been very responsive to our comments and suggestions to improve this new system,” Dyler says.

“This has translated to significant time and cost savings,” adds Wendy Jabusch, vice-president of Calgary Homes for Brookfield.