Oakville enhances online services to improve the Building Permit process

The town has launched an improved online service to streamline the building permit process. This new system combines the application intake, review and approval into a single, more efficient platform. By simplifying these steps, the town aims to support the overall growth and development of our community ensuring that applicants can access the building permit process with greater ease. 

The Town of Oakville is committed to supporting the Government of Ontario’s target of 33,000 new homes by 2031. Streamlining the building permit process to improve efficiency and support the timely delivery of housing is a key goal in the town’s Housing Strategy and Action Plan that was approved by Council in December 2024.

By connecting applicants and town staff on one centralized platform, the new service enables smoother communication and collaboration at every stage of the process. For builders and contractors, this means quicker reviews and approvals. Homeowners planning renovations can access real-time tracking for every step of their building permit application, including updates on reviews and inspections.

While sometimes referred to as ePlan within the building and development industry, the Town of Oakville’s enhanced service can be accessed through the town’s robust Online Services page under the Planning and Building section. 

In June 2024, Oakville successfully piloted an improved online service for municipal sign permit applications, improving efficiency by reducing processing times. Through this initiative, the town successfully issued 101 sign permits with an average processing time of 15 days, which is a significant reduction from the previous average of 45 days. The town is also working on streamlining planning and development online application process anticipated later this year.

Background

• In 2024, the town issued 3,062 building permits with a construction value of $2.1 billion,  up from 2,418 building permits in 2023 with a construction value of $1.7 billion
• The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported 3,580 new housing starts in Oakville for 2024
• Visit the Oakville Data Hub page for up-to-date information on building permits, housing pledge status and more  
• Visit the Housing Strategy and Action Plan page for housing goals and initiatives underway

Quotes

“Oakville is streamlining the building permit process to accelerate approvals, helping developers and homeowners move forward with their plans faster. Our commitment to continuous improvement ensures a more efficient and user-friendly experience for all applicants.”
- Mayor Rob Burton