The Status of Digitalisation of the Planning and Building Permissions System in Ontario, Canada

Digital Transformation of Building Permitting
2026, London

Members of the One Ontario coalition have contributed a chapter to Digital Transformation of Building Permitting, a new open-access book published by Taylor & Francis. The publication brings together researchers and practitioners from around the world to explore how governments can modernize permitting through digital transformation, interoperability, and improved regulatory processes.

Our chapter examines the province's fragmented permitting landscape and argues that meaningful modernization requires shared infrastructure, standardized data, and greater collaboration across municipalities. These themes closely align with One Ontario's mission to build a province-wide, AI-enabled permitting platform that supports faster, more consistent development approvals.