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The City of Vancouver is revolutionizing how construction permits are approved. At BUILDEX Vancouver 2025, we had the opportunity to chat with Corrie Okell, General Manager of Development, Buildings, and Licensing at the City of Vancouver, about how digital transformation is reducing permit wait times and reshaping the builder-city relationship.

Learn how the city has implemented technologies like ePlan, which allows for 24/7 drawing submissions. While the transition was initially challenging for paper-dependent professionals, this digital shift has created unprecedented flexibility for both industry and city staff.

What’s truly groundbreaking is Vancouver’s new approach to application quality. Poor submissions have historically caused endless back-and-forth delays. Now, innovative tools like the Project Requirements Exploration Tool (PRET) help property owners understand what can be built on their lot before submitting, while the new eComply system automatically identifies non-compliant elements in drawings in real time.

These technologies support Vancouver's ambitious 3-3-3-1 Permit Approval Framework:
✅ 3 days to approve home renovation permits (including those for mobility and accessibility-related upgrades).
✅ 3 weeks to approve single-family home and townhouse permits.
✅ 3 months to approve permits for professionally designed multi-family and mid-rise projects where zoning is already in place.
✅ 1 year to approve permits for high-rise or large-scale projects.

Want to know how these permitting innovations could impact your next project? Subscribe to The Site Visit for insights from construction industry leaders shaping the future of building.

PODCAST INFO:
the Site Visit Website: https://www.sitemaxsystems.com/podcast
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the Site Visit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-site-visit/id1456494446
the Site Visit on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cp4qJE5ExZmO3EwldN1HH

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The Future of Efficient, Healthy Housing is Here!

Tune in to our conversation with Arman Mottaghi, CEO of Properate. With Properate’s innovative technology, homeowners can now pinpoint which improvements will truly make a difference, avoiding wasted money on ineffective upgrades. Together with Arman, we dive into how the return on investment for home energy upgrades extends far beyond utility savings to include increased property value, health benefits, and greater resilience against climate events. He also highlights how many Canadians are missing out on substantial government incentives—such as interest-free loans up to $40,000 for qualifying improvements—simply because they’re unaware these programs exist.

For those living in strata properties or multi-unit buildings, achieving efficiency presents unique challenges that require collective action. However, the greatest opportunities lie with single-family homes and townhouses, which make up the bulk of our residential built environment. Want to know more? Tune in now.

PODCAST INFO:
the Site Visit Website: https://www.sitemaxsystems.com/podcast
the Site Visit on Buzzsprout: https://thesitevisit.buzzsprout.com/269424
the Site Visit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-site-visit/id1456494446
the Site Visit on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cp4qJE5ExZmO3EwldN1HH

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The construction industry is at a crossroads as it embraces the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). In this insightful episode, Shawn Gray delves into the pressing need for the construction sector, especially mid-sized firms, to engage with AI solutions that can substantially enhance productivity and operational efficiency. As labor shortages and demands for faster project delivery become critical issues, AI might just hold the key to unlocking greater profits and smoother project execution.

Shawn elaborates on how many firms are exploring AI but less than 4% are meaningfully adopting it. He shares real-world examples of how mid-sized companies are already using AI to automate time-consuming tasks, thereby redefining workflows and allowing teams to focus on higher-value activities. We discuss the unique challenges faced by field teams who are often reluctant to embrace new technology due to past failures, and how AI can bridge the gap by offering intuitive solutions that speak directly to their needs and pain points.

Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the significance of not just adopting AI tools, but integrating them in ways that significantly impact on-site productivity. The episode underscores that the risks of ignoring AI or not supporting its adoption can jeopardize a company’s competitive standing in an evolving market. This enlightening conversation is a must-listen for construction professionals eager to understand how innovative technologies can yield tangible benefits.

Join us as we explore the best practices for AI adoption in construction and the profound implications it holds for the industry's future. Don't miss out—subscribe, share your thoughts, and contribute to the conversation!

PODCAST INFO:
the Site Visit Website: https://www.sitemaxsystems.com/podcast
the Site Visit on Buzzsprout: https://thesitevisit.buzzsprout.com/269424
the Site Visit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-site-visit/id1456494446
the Site Visit on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cp4qJE5ExZmO3EwldN1HH

FOLLOW ALONG:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesitevisit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesitevisit