Completed

Way Forward Commitment:

Our Government is committed to improved efficiencies and services with respect to its public facing and internal business processes while ensuring the highest standards for environmental protection and land use planning. In 2017-18, we will review a number of key existing regulatory and legislative permitting and licensing processes in an effort to better align with Lean best practices and process improvement tools. The review process will support more timely approvals for clients and stakeholders, including municipalities, individuals and companies seeking zoning changes within protected road zones and individuals, companies and industry involved in development, technology and business ventures requiring permits or approvals from the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment. This review will examine regulatory and legislative requirements associated with specific permits and licenses, business processes, timelines, IT infrastructure, public interfaces and service standards across Government.

What We’ve Accomplished:

• In 2017-18, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment reviewed a number of key existing regulatory and legislative permitting and licensing processes related to land use planning and water resource management to better align with Lean best practices and process improvement tools. This review examined regulatory and legislative requirements associated with specific permits and licenses, business processes, timelines, IT infrastructure, public interfaces and service standards across Government. As a result a number of recommendations to improve business process efficiencies and service delivery were developed.
• In an effort to improve timely approvals, tangible deliverables have included: increased delegated authorities for various matters under the Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000, including registration of municipal plans and amendments to protected road zone plans; and elimination of the policy that requires municipalities to enter into Limit of Service Agreements with the province for infrastructure investment. Enhancements to the water resources permitting information management systems have been identified. The permitting system has been streamlined and work is ongoing to improve the ENTRACK (Environmental Permits Tracking System). The department is working with the Office of the Chief Information Officer to accomplish this initiative, which will continue in 2019.

News Releases:

Provincial Government Eliminating Limit of Service Agreements for Municipalities

Provincial Government Invested in Safe and Sustainable Communities in 2017