The City of Terrace in northwest B.C. will now be able to process building permits and complete building inspections online.

A partnership with e-permitting software Cloudpermit will allow the city to simplify and streamline the permitting process for permit applicants, consultants, and city staff alike. The building department hopes to have full  integration in place by the spring 2021 construction season.

“We’ve been searching for something like this for almost 10 years. We talked to a handful of different software companies, but none were building permit–specific, and in the end, we started the process of developing something in-house,” said David Block, director of development services.

The city is the first in B.C. to make use of the software, which allows applicants to apply for a building permit online, track the progress of their application, and receive their results all in one convenient online portal. Cloudpermit will also enable consultants, such as those required for Energy Step Code compliance, to engage in a more project-specific way in their client’s permit application process.

“This comprehensive software will allow us to efficiently process, track, and follow up with permits all in one place,” said Nathan Brooks, building official for the City of Terrace. “It will help ensure effective communication with everyone involved in a building project—we can provide updates and request inspections all within a web browser.”

The city also has plans to explore outsourcing its services to nearby municipalities who may not have trained building inspectors on staff. “Logistics and distance made this challenging before, but with the ability to do inspections virtually, there are lots of opportunities to develop service agreements and build partnerships in order to lend a hand to neighbouring smaller local governments,” said Block.