This collaboration between AECO Innovation Lab and Toronto Metropolitan University explored development approvals processes across Ontario in an attempt to parametrize the process. This project reviewed understanding the similarities and differences between different municipalities, the various forms, drawings, and other information required, and more in an effort to develop a common set of data fields and help streamline processes province-wide.

The development approvals process consists of many complex regulations determining which requirements apply to specific projects. These can be unpredictable for applicants and often take a long time, adding significant delays and costs. Understanding what is needed as early as possible in the development approval process is key; this can be done by automating the analysis of development approval applications by encoding the relevant standards, bylaws, and policies.

The interoperability between BIM and GIS was explored both theoretically and through working demonstrations using real project examples. The importance of integrating these data silos became increasingly crucial as municipalities and owners worked toward the goal of City Information Models and Digital Twins. To achieve interoperability, the similarities and differences of BIM and GIS data structures were examined, along with the types of attribute data. Furthermore, the long-term access to data to support the full lifecycle process relied heavily on openBIM and openGIS, which formed the foundation of the whitepaper and project explorations