Teaming Up for Tech: How Haliburton County is Changing the Game
With just over 18,000 residents, Haliburton County in Ontario is proving that even small communities can lead in technology through digital transformation. And with the help of Perry Group’s Municipal Technology Model (MTM), they’re setting a precedent for municipalities across the province.
In June 2024, Haliburton County embarked on a five-year IT and digital strategy aimed at delivering innovative, cost-efficient services to residents, visitors, and businesses. This strategy builds on existing successes while reaching for an even higher level of collaboration and digital advancement.
The seeds of this transformation were planted in an SDR (Service Delivery Review) report, which identified the need for stronger IT and digital collaboration. Haliburton engaged Perry Group to craft a comprehensive plan for IT modernization. The goal? To improve service delivery, boost productivity, and drive cost efficiency through technology.
To guide this transformation, a Digital Transformation Working Group was formed, including representatives from each partner municipality and the county’s IT director. Over 12 weeks, this group identified key collaborative projects, such as shared learning around work and asset management, GIS integration, and a shared document and records management system.
The initial projects demonstrated significant benefits:
Access to Better Products: Pooling resources allowed municipalities to afford superior technology solutions.
Cost Reduction: Collaborative efforts led to a remarkable 20% in cost savings.
Shared Learning: Municipalities shared successful strategies, leading to enhanced efficiency and innovation.
By investing in digital transformation, Haliburton County expects to see immediate improvements across the board. The benefits are clear—faster service delivery, enhanced productivity, and reduced costs. Already, turnaround times for processes are shortening, inspections are increasing, and time-consuming tasks are being automated.
Haliburton has a solid IT foundation and has already seen the advantages of collaboration through shared services and standardized systems. Momentum for further digitization is strong, and with an established team and forward-thinking partnerships, the county is poised for even greater success.
However, the recent assessment also revealed opportunities for growth, particularly in integrating business solutions, enhancing data capabilities, and rolling out customer-facing services. This is where Perry Group’s Municipal Technology Model (MTM) comes into play.
At the heart of this transformation is Perry Group's MTM, a framework focused on four key areas:
Infrastructure: The hardware and networks powering the county’s services.
Business Solutions: Internal systems supporting municipal operations, like expense claims and work management.
Integration & Data: Tools for better data integration, analysis, and decision-making.
Customer-Facing Services: Digital touchpoints residents interact with, like online bookings or permit applications.
Using the MTM, Haliburton identified strengths in its infrastructure, as well as opportunities to improve business solutions and data integration. With this insight, the county developed strategic directions for further investment.
Haliburton’s digital strategy focuses on expanding its IT team, adding new roles like Business Solutions Analysts and GIS professionals. These roles will drive projects involving shared business solutions, data services, and web platforms. A key element of the plan is adopting a "Collaboration First" approach—working with partner municipalities to lower costs, improve customer experiences, and share innovations.
To support this vision, the county is expanding its technology budget, with plans to increase from less than 2% to 4% of overall municipal spending. This funding will enable Haliburton to support new roles and continue advancing shared solutions that benefit all partner municipalities.
Haliburton’s digital transformation serves as a powerful example for other municipalities. Perry Group is proud to be part of this journey, helping local governments deliver smarter, more efficient services for their residents.