Updates to E-file

New Features

Approval authorities are able to access a PDF of any completed Municipal/Approval Authority (M1) Forms for all case packages submitted to OLT through e-file. The PDF looks similar to the existing M1 form and provides an official summary of all data entered by the municipality/approval authority in e-file along with a list of the checklist items and document filenames that were uploaded and submitted to OLT. The PDF is attached to the confirmation email approval authorities receive after they submit their case package through e-file.

Improvements and Fixes

Updated language on the appellant interface, including headings, instructions and buttons, to clarify actions required and reduce confusion. For example:

• Added words “if applicable” to action buttons that are optional for user (e.g., “Add Joint Appellant (if applicable)” and “Add additional properties (if applicable)”)
• Relabeled column headings in the document table to be more intuitive (e.g., “Attached Documents” instead of “Correspondence Type”)
• Changed action button on the Summary and Review page to say “Complete/Lock Appeal” rather than “Submit”, so that it is clear user can make no further changes to appeal form beyond this point.
• Removed instruction box on how to pay for an appeal when there is no fee charged.
• Clarified instructions and action buttons on the payment screens to indicate that payment is not required to submit an appeal and meet the appeal submission deadline, but that user must confirm payment plans and click the “Confirm and Submit Appeal” button for their appeal to be submitted to the approval authority.
• Updated the “Tips and Instructions” on the public/appellant interface to:
  • Clarify French language browser settings requirements
  • Define the term “legal description” in the context of entering an address manually for a property being appealed
  • Clarify the types of document formats that are acceptable for uploading
• Updated the “Tips and Instructions” on the approval authority interface to:
  • Explain how to identify related appeals submitted by appellants in e-file and how to group them together

• A new field for ‘City’ on the Subject Property Location page. This allows the user to identify a specific address of a city or town and may be the same as or different from the ‘Municipality’.
• Appellant Representative’s contact information is now available to be viewed by Approval Authority users. A permissions issue has been fixed.
• Municipal Submission Form (M1) PDF is available to be downloaded within the Approval Authority’s portal while a case is ‘In Progress’ and after a case has been submitted to OLT. Previously, this document was only available as an attachment in the email that confirmed the case was submitted to OLT.
• The Appeal Form PDF is available to be downloaded within the Approval Authority’s portal. Previously, this document was only available as an attachment in the Appellant’s appeal filing confirmation email.
• An electronic signature has been added for the Appellant or their Representative to complete on the appeal form.
• A new view has been added to the Approval Authority Dashboard titled ‘Appeals Added to a Case’. This new view allows the approval authority users to track appeals that have been grouped into a case and/or submitted to OLT.
• In the ‘Documents’ section, the user is able to see a list of the file names of documents that have been attached after the appeal or case has been submitted.
• Minor text and display inconsistencies have been corrected.
• Registered Level-1 and Level-2 users are copied (CC’d) instead of blind-copied (BCC’d) on the Appellant’s appeal confirmation email. This provides transparency in appeal filing.
• Enhancements on several grids: additional data columns have been added to improve data display and usability.

Enhanced access to e-file documentation

• Appeal and case confirmation emails are stored and accessible in e-file.
• All documents that are uploaded by the appellant and approval authority are available for the approval authority users to view in e-file after filing. This provides better record-keeping/data management ability.

Property and Party Identification

• For planning matters, a new question has been added to help identify third-party appellants and flag potential invalid appellants. Appellants are asked to identify if they are a “specified person” according to the Planning Act. This includes, for example, applicants, owners of the land to which the by-law/plan would apply, Ministers, etc.
• Changes have been made to the Subject Property Location section of form to distinguish between City and Municipality.
• Enhanced identification of parties and contact information: For example, first and last names are no longer mandatory for companies, and a new Professional Title field has been added.

Data Management and Validation

• Data validation has been improved.
• Users have the ability to export data tables for external record-keeping or staff assignment.

System and User Experience Improvements

• Expanded page navigation to reduce excessive scrolling
• Fixed issue where users were directed to the bottom of the page when navigating between pages. Pages now display from the top by default.
• Search functionality has been enhanced.

The next updates to e-file are scheduled to be delivered in summer 2025.