When our team first connected with Tim Wright, the Director of Public Works for the Township of North Glengarry, it was clear that his team was struggling with their outdated, manual permit system. This is the story of how we helped North Glengarry overhaul and modernize its traffic permit management.
The Challenges
“Our previous system was a nightmare,” Tim explained during our first meeting. “We had no way to submit permits online. Everything was done with pen and paper, emails, and in-person interactions. It took two to three weeks just to get a permit inspected and approved.”
The inefficiencies were intimidating. Missing documents, lost applications, and endless back-and-forth communication were daily hurdles for Tim’s team. Not to mention, permit payments had to be made in person, adding another layer of inconvenience for residents and staff alike.
Finding a Solution
Tim and his team needed a digital solution that was user-friendly and efficient. That’s where Transnomis’s Permit Central came into play. “We wanted something digital, almost frictionless, that could integrate seamlessly with our existing systems,” Tim said.
The ability to standardize permitting practices with their Upper-Tier Municipality was a key factor in their decision. They were already using Municipal511 and had positive experiences with it. Permit Central’s multi-permit capabilities and intuitive form processes were exactly what they needed.
Implementation and Results
The implementation process was smooth and quick. “Within a week, we had Permit Central up and running. We turned around permits faster than we ever could with our old system,” Tim recalled. “Our timelines are basically down to nothing now,” Tim emphasized. “It’s a system I don’t need to think about anymore.”
The impact was immediate and significant. Residents could submit permits online, make payments, and receive feedback promptly. The system’s intuitive interface meant fewer phone calls and emails, freeing up staff to focus on more critical tasks. Since implementing Permit Central, North Glengarry has processed 96 permits in just nine months, rejecting only six due to incomplete applications.
Looking Ahead
With the Ontario broadband rollout intensifying, North Glengarry anticipates a continued influx of permit applications. Thanks to Permit Central, they’re ready. The system’s automation has not only eased the administrative burden but also boosted revenue through more efficient processing.
“Our confidence in managing high workloads stems from our positive experience onboarding utility providers like Bell and Xplore,” Tim shared. “It’s been very, very easy to just say, ‘Yeah, use our Transnomis system.’”
Lessons Learned
Tim’s advice for other municipalities is straightforward: “Start with the basic system and use as much as you can out of the box. The standard templates are great and make it easy to standardize processes across neighboring municipalities.”
By sharing their journey, North Glengarry hopes to inspire other municipalities to embrace digital solutions like Permit Central. The results speak for themselves: increased efficiency, improved communication, and happier residents and staff.
As Tim concluded, “This is a solution that I’m always going to stick with, regardless of our permit volume. It gets rid of all the headaches for me, and it’s a very small operating cost for the benefit it gives … all of our staff saved on Advil because there were no more headaches from permits.”
