Summary of Internal Audit results

Report classification

During the course of the internal audit, specific controls were identified which generally address the control objectives of the internal audit relating to Planning and Development; however, there were a few design deficiencies noted during the internal audit, which are described below:

• ● The Official Plan exists to provide guidance in relation to requirements regarding the different applications as set in the Planning Act and Zoning By-laws. The planners reviewing the application can make references to these documents,
• ● The Official Plan is updated on a periodic basis and in conjunction with open-dialogue and collaboration with the Ministry of Municipal Housing and Affairs.
• ● Application and submission processes are fairly manual where the AMANDA system is used in a limited capacity to generate unique IDs for applications and store information regarding minor variances and site plan control applications. All other application processing activities are manual without the use of any systems. A SharePoint site is used to list the number of applications received in a sequential manner and is used to assess workload amongst the staff. The City should continue using a central system, Evolve that can be used to onboard the application submission, tracking, and processing processes to allow for greater oversight and efficiency in handling the applications.
• ● The Planning Department uses standardized forms which include detailed preliminary requirements for reference of the applicant. Standardized reporting templates are also used to guide planners in drafting the final report for the application which is reviewed by the final approver.
• ● The Planning and Development Services Department has a Development Triage Team which informally meets on a weekly basis to discuss applications in process and any issues relating to them. These meetings are in addition to the Site Plan team meetings, Planning and Development Leadership Team meetings, and Agenda setting meetings which serve as points to discuss and identify issues relating to any application which would require further analysis and resources from the department.
• ● Pre-consultation meetings are mandated by the City for applicants to discuss their requirements with the Planning and Development Services Department. This enables for a smoother application processing phase as the applicant would be better aware of the specific documentation required for submission.
• ● There was evidence to suggest, on a sample basis, that key requirements from the Official Plan and Planning Act were met during the application processing process along with timely communication with customers and other relevant stakeholders for the decision making process.