Calgary, AB,
10
November
2015
|
09:00
America/Denver

Online residential permitting tool a first in Canada

Calgary - The City of Calgary is the first municipality in Canada to offer a complete online residential permit service to its customers. Starting today, Residential ePermit customers applying for new home construction permits (single and semi-detached homes, and associated garages) can apply for these permits, pay for services and process all their inspections, using a single online tool.  The latest ePermit upgrade now provides customers new inspection services and options, which completes a start-to-finish approach to doing business with The City online.

“We’re thrilled to offer this level of service to our customers, and excited to have delivered an online permitting tool that meets expectations and sets a new benchmark in Canada,” says Mike van Ham, Coordinator for Applications and Inquiries for The City’s Planning, Development and Assessment department.  “Other cities have online permit services, but none provide customers a single interface to apply, pay and process inspections.”

Since 2013, ePermit has processed over 6,000 new home construction permits online, eliminating the need for customers to print documents, travel downtown and stand in line to apply for permits.  Today, over 75 percent of the applications The City receives for new home construction permits are made electronically.  The success of ePermit will enable additional home permits such as basements, garages and decks, to be made available online for homeowners and contractors in the future.

“Enabling inspection services and options to ePermit users online is a big win for them, since they can access the system without having to make a phone call to book, reschedule or cancel an inspection,” says van Ham. “ePermit users save a lot of time and effort, while other 311 callers benefit with reductions in wait times.”

The City estimates over 11,000 calls a year are made to 311 for new home construction inspections including multiple services such as plumbing & gas, electrical and building.

Highlights of today’s ePermit improvements

New inspection services and options available for ePermit users:

  • Book, reschedule or cancel an inspection
  • Book out-of-phase inspections
  • View inspection results online*
  • View or download inspection reports
  • View or download the single Permission to Occupy document

*An automated email is sent to all customers when an inspection is completed for these permit types.

Integrated Inspections and Single Occupancy Approval:

  • Development Completion Permit inspections are now automatically integrated where required for new home construction projects.  Integrated inspections will result in the issuance of a single Permission to Occupy document when all final inspections are acceptable.

Development Permit Applications:

  • The City is now accepting Development Permit applications for new home construction permits online. 

For more information about Residential ePermit or to learn about how to become an ePermit user, visit calgary.ca/epermit.

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