June 10, 2016 | Jamie Zachary

Calgary receives national award for ePermit service

Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators recognizes online tool

The City of Calgary's residential ePermit service captured top honours recently with a national award of excellence from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA).

The online permitting tool, which launched last fall, won the 2016 CAMA Willis Award for Innovation in the Over 100,000 Population category.

Other winners in the category included Kindersley, Sask's, waste water project (Under 20,000 Population category) and Saint John, N.B.'s "one-stop development shop" initiative (20,001 to 100,000 Population category).

The awards were presented in the areas of innovation, education and professional development during CAMA's national conference in Winnipeg.

The Willis Award for Innovation, awarded in recognition of Jack Willis for his contribution to CAMA, is presented for programs, projects or services that demonstrate exceptional innovation or meritorious initiative.

"CAMA is pleased to recognize the excellence demonstrated by these municipalities and their award winning projects," said CAMA president Don MacLellan. "The efforts recognized are really some of the best examples of municipal improvement, innovation and resiliency that can found in Canada today."

Calgary became the first city in Canada to offer complete online residential permit servicing when it did so last fall. It allows customers to apply for new home construction permits (single and semi-detached homes, and associated garages) online, as well as pay for services and process all their inspections.

Since 2013, ePermit has processed more than 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. The City estimates more than 75 per cent of the applications it receives for new home construction permits are now made electronically.

Devon also captured the 2016 CAMA Environment Award in the Under 20,000 Population category for its municipal solar program.

For a full list of winners, visit camacam.ca.

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