We’re going to use AI to fix Ontario’s approval process

By Richard Lyall

for Canadian Contractor

Aug. 13, 2026

The housing crisis in Ontario has produced no shortage of promises. Governments at all levels have pledged billions of dollars to accelerate housing construction, municipalities have invested in digital permitting systems, and industry groups have been calling for reform for years.

However, the initiatives, while well-intentioned, have not solved the problem. The challenge remains. The reality is that it still takes far too long to get most housing projects approved and built.

The problem is not simply a lack of money or political will. It is the absence of a shared permitting infrastructure that can connect the fragmented approvals system that exists in Ontario.

That is why RESCON’s decision to join the AI for Housing Coalition as a development partner is significant.

The coalition is being led by One Ontario, a non-profit organization dedicated to modernizing the real estate development and permitting processes. The long-term vision is to promote a province-wide AI-enabled permitting platform designed to modernize development approvals.

Rather than forcing applicants to navigate a maze of municipal portals, agencies, forms and reviews, the coalition envisions a single digital dashboard that helps manage approvals from beginning to end. The platform would identify requirements, prepare and submit applications, co-ordinate reviews, track progress through to a decision, and much, much more.

RESCON represents builders responsible for constructing more than 70 per cent of the province’s new homes. As the voice of the residential construction industry, the association bring a perspective that no technology company, consultant or government agency can provide.

Builders have the real-world experience of navigating Ontario’s complex and often frustrating approvals process. This insight is invaluable.

The AI for Housing Coalition has the right mix of partners. One Ontario provides the vision for a co-ordinated provincial approach. LandLogic is responsible for the technology, artificial intelligence and data infrastructure needed to build and operate the system. RCI Lab provides regulatory intelligence and compliance expertise to ensure workflows, automation and rules remain transparent and aligned with regulatory requirements. RESCON contributes housing delivery knowledge and policy insight to ensure the project remains focused on outcomes that matter to the construction sector.

The goal of the coalition is to create a more predictable, transparent and efficient path through the approvals system.

This matters because Ontario’s permitting environment remains highly fragmented. Municipalities often operate different systems, follow different processes and maintain different data standards. Builders and developers routinely find themselves submitting similar information multiple times through multiple channels while waiting months - or years - for approvals.

The resulting delays increase costs, undermine project viability and ultimately reduce housing supply. In the end, consumers pay the price.

As the coalition’s development partner, RESCON is not simply endorsing the initiative. We will play a direct role in helping shape it. We will provide industry leadership, housing delivery expertise, strategic guidance and government relations insight to ensure the platform reflects the realities faced by builders, developers and housing providers across the province.

That role is critically important.

Too many technology projects are designed in isolation from the people who actually use them. The coalition is attempting to avoid that mistake by involving organizations that understand how approvals work on the ground. RESCON’s participation helps ensure that the platform is built around practical housing delivery challenges rather than theoretical assumptions.

Builders understand where projects become stuck. They know which approvals create bottlenecks, where duplication occurs, and how delays translate into higher costs for homebuyers and renters. By bringing that knowledge into the development process, RESCON will help create a system that addresses real obstacles rather than merely digitizing existing inefficiencies.

The coalition is structured around a recognition that permitting modernization requires different forms of expertise working together. The coalition organizations represent the perfect blend of technology, regulation and industry knowledge that has often been missing from previous modernization efforts.

Importantly, the coalition is not presenting itself as another advocacy campaign. While policy discussions remain part of the effort, the coalition is actively working to build the infrastructure needed to support permitting reform. Its objective is not simply to talk about change but to help create the systems that make change possible.

That distinction is important because Ontario has spent years discussing how to accelerate approvals. In fact, we have been banging the drum on this issue since 2014. Plenty of reports have been written, committees have been struck and funding announcements have been made. But, as we know, approval timelines have remained largely unchanged.

Government initiatives such as the temporary HST rebates and development charge measures are moving the dial for the industry, but digitization and modernization of the system are key. We are working with a few large municipalities in Ontario to advance the One Ontario initiative, but we are still far behind other leading jurisdictions and more work remains.

True modernization requires shared infrastructure capable of connecting stakeholders and standardizing information across jurisdictions.

A digital permitting platform will not eliminate policy disputes, solve labour shortages or automatically create housing. Regulatory frameworks will still matter, and municipal participation will be essential. Political leadership will still be required.

But if we get it right, the potential upside is significant. If AI can reduce repetitive administrative work, identify missing requirements earlier, automate routine tasks and improve transparency throughout the approval process, it could speed up approvals significantly.

And faster, more predictable approvals are just what Ontario needs.

Richard Lyall is president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON). He has represented the building industry in Ontario since 1991. Contact him at media@rescon.com.