With the 2025 budget underway, the Town of Oakville staff has provided a memo about suggested ways to speed up building permits, including residential permits, to develop the area.
According to the memo, which was presented at the Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, Oakville has reduced its average building permit processing time to 31 business days in 2024, a significant improvement over previous years. However, challenges such as incomplete applications and increasing project complexity continue to slow progress for some developers.
The report highlighted that 1,895 permit applications were submitted as of Aug. 30, 2024, ranging from small residential projects to large-scale developments, including 20-story condominiums.
While the total number of permits remained consistent with prior years, the town noted that 38 per cent of applications required multiple submissions due to incomplete or premature filings. This back-and-forth process is one reason for delays, particularly when less experienced designers are involved.
"Over recent years, about 40 per cent of applications submitted have been incomplete,” the report stated, adding that delays are often caused by additional approvals for industrial buildings, such as site servicing and mechanical system reviews.
In 2023, residential permits averaged 54 days for approval, while non-residential permits took 45 days. Town staff attributed this progress to improved processes and the hiring of six new employees, including a Building Services Representative to streamline permit intakes.
Looking ahead, Oakville plans to launch a new electronic plan circulation tool in early 2025. This digital platform will provide real-time updates on application status and simplify communication with the applicants, to make the process run smoothly.
“We believe that when our approval process is transparent, the designer/owner will take a more active role in ensuring a permit is not delayed,” the report noted.
The report also indicated that the Town of Oakville is not seeking more resources to speed up the building permit process, especially with the recent hires (including a building service representative who deals with permit intakes) in 2024. Instead, staff aim to focus on early engagement with designers and providing better educational tools, such as brochures and online guides.
The improvements come as Oakville prepares for increased development activity, with staff stressing the importance of balancing efficiency with the complexity of larger-scale projects.