Continuity Project

Squamish is continuing to experience the fastest growth rate in BC (close to 15% population growth between 2006 and 2011). To support this growth through delivery of business services and support of economic development, District Staff recognize the need to improve systems, processes and services. Our goal is to improve customer service, community engagement, as well as system automation across many municipal departments. 

The Continuity Project is one of several business improvement initiatives that the District has launched in an effort to address the recommendations from the Core Service Review completed in 2011. The Continuity Project is focused on three main areas: Land Development, Building Permits, and Business Licences. The processes, plus all supporting documentation, are undergoing a rigorous review resulting in several short and long-term business improvements. The latest initiative is the launch of the new Building Permit Kit comprising a new comprehensive and updated application guide and form, and a new document checklist to support efficient processing.

Deliverables to date include:

•  Updated and improved documentation and supporting procedures:

     *New Building Permit Application Kit (April 2013)

     *New Land Development Application Kit (Fall 2012)

     *New Business Licence Application Forms (Fall 2012)

• Improved customer service experience for business and development enquiries at the Development Services’ Front Desk
• New District website (including mobile version) with a centralized Home, Land & Property Development section for easy access to resources and permit applications
• Improved Land Development, Building Permit and Business Licence application processing
• Ongoing development of District of Squamish’s Geographic Information System (GIS) for improved public and Staff access to property and service information
• New Customer Kiosk located at the Development Services Front Desk for GIS enquiries and viewing District policies and bylaws

 Deliverables in progress include:

• Service Agreement Process Review
• Review software needs for Development Services’ processes; working to leverage existing software while capturing business requirements for potential new solutions to better manage internal workflow and approvals

 We recognize the value of stakeholder engagement, including community input, and will continue to communicate project updates through various channels including updates to our website. We also welcome your feedback and questions.