Greater Sudbury city council has given the green light to an $800,000 trial program utilizing artificial intelligence to assist in the review of building permit applications. The aim is to detect issues earlier and streamline processing times. The AI technology will serve as an initial screening tool and not as a substitute for city personnel.
Under the plan, when applicants submit plans through the Pronto portal, the AI software will analyze the application for missing details and potential violations of Greater Sudbury’s zoning regulations and sections of the Ontario Building Code. Kris Longston, the city’s general manager of planning and growth, highlighted that this approach could result in applicants receiving prompt feedback, eliminating the need to wait several days for an initial staff review to identify missing or incorrect information.
The system will undergo training on the city’s zoning laws and building permit procedures. Longston likened this process to orienting a new employee who must grasp the workflow before handling more intricate tasks. He anticipates that the technology will eventually prevent incomplete applications from being submitted through Pronto, raising the quality of submissions and potentially expediting turnaround times.
Morgan Roleau, CEO of the Northern Ontario Home Builders Association, expressed cautious interest in Sudbury’s initiative, citing significant delays in permit processing for builders in the region. While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI in standardizing requirements and compliance checks, Roleau cautioned that quicker screening might not address all issues in the permitting process.
AI could efficiently handle repetitive tasks within the permitting process, as outlined by Mojgan Jadidi, an associate professor at York University leading the Regulatory Compliance Intelligence Lab. However, Jadidi emphasized the importance of human expertise in complex scenarios requiring interpretation or involving competing priorities.
John Lane, president of the Ontario Building Officials Association, highlighted the value of AI in identifying clear and repetitive requirements but stressed that professional judgment remains crucial for complex drawings or code interpretations. The CEO of Landlogic Solutions, a company specializing in permitting automation, noted AI’s potential in streamlining administrative processes.
The project will be financed through Greater Sudbury’s Building Permit Revenue Stabilization Reserve Fund. If the pilot project proves successful, annual AI licensing fees of $350,000 would be covered by building permit fees. The trial aims to assess the technology’s effectiveness in enhancing the initial phase of the permitting process, with a decision on full implementation pending a thorough evaluation of the results.