Friday, August 22, 2025
Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has entered into an agreement with Information Services Corporation (ISC), a Canadian multinational company, to deliver a new digital records system. As part of the Ministry’s Modernization of Property Information (MPI) Program, the new system will help to improve response times for environmental property information requests regarding matters such as soil, water and contamination on properties across Ontario.
Three teams, Accenture Inc., ISC and Maximus Canada were prequalified from a multi-stage Request for Proposal process that began in May 2023. Upon evaluation of the proposals, ISC was the top-ranked bidder and proceeded to develop an initial Proof of Concept, a design prototype of the new system.
ISC will develop a full-scale model of their digital records management solution that will include system design, security and privacy requirements, and quality assurance and testing. The program is anticipated to be launched in 2027.
Infrastructure Ontario served as the commercial advisory lead while a third-party fairness monitor oversaw the procurement process.
The project will digitize millions of property records and introduce a 24/7 self-service digital portal for the public to access property-related records, enabling faster, more efficient service.
This initiative will help facilitate land transactions and support decision-making critical to land development and economic growth in the province. The land development industry will be able to access information faster and make better-informed decisions to support property transactions and brownfields redevelopment more quickly than through the current Freedom of Information (FOI) process.
In March 2022, MECP launched the first phase of its Environmental Property Information portal, whereby applicants are notified within five business days if property records exist. To manually search for and provide copies of relevant records to requestors, a FOI request can require an additional five to 10 weeks. The MPI program will digitize millions of property records to streamline the process for receiving property information and enable faster, more efficient service.
For more information, visit the Modernization of Property Information site.
Featured photo credit: Getty Images
