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Translation – Explanation and Caution

The electronic translation service on the City of Surrey’s web site is hosted by Google Translate. The quality of the translation may vary in some of the languages offered by Google. The goal of the basic translation is to capture the general intention of the original English material.

Google Translate is a free service and currently offers translation in over 50 languages. Unfortunately, not all the languages spoken in the City of Surrey are translated. Punjabi is one of the languages not currently offered, and to remedy the situation, the City has been in contact with Google and they have committed to making Punjabi available in the future.

The City of Surrey cannot guarantee the quality, accuracy, or completeness of any translated information. Before you act on translated information, the City encourages you to confirm any facts that are important to you and the decisions you make.

The City of Surrey offers interpretation services at all its facilities. If you have a question about the material you read on our web site, we encourage you to stop by a City facilities to discuss it. You can also contact the City at (604) 591-4011 to receive interpretation support.

The City is committed to enhancing the accessibility of its web site to all its citizens, and appreciates any feedback that it receives.

Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, Tagalog, Hindi

Surrey Becomes First Canadian Municipality to Introduce Mobile Inspection Technology

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October 17, 2011

Surrey – In an effort to further reduce red tape and increase efficiencies, the City of Surrey officially launched a new smart phone and mobile application today for building inspections. The new technology includes a web application and will be available for BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPad.

“The City of Surrey is the first municipality in Canada to introduce this type of inspection technology,” says Mayor Dianne Watts. “The application allows us to improve communication and streamline our procedures. The end result is that we improve customer service and prevent trades people from wasting time by having to wait around on work sites.”

Today’s launch comes following a very successful pilot period with local builders who volunteered to participate in the test environment. The application allows clients to schedule inspections using their smart phones, instead of having to call City Hall, which can sometimes lead to a voicemail service. The program includes text messaging features, which will let clients know when an inspector will arrive and provide updates, should an appointment need to be advanced or postponed. Once the inspection is completed, clients receive updates and results via email.

“This new technology will ensure we are offering high quality service to residents, businesses and prospective investors. Through our Red Tape Reduction Advisory Committee, we are continually searching for new and innovative approaches to creating a healthy and productive business environment,” says Councillor Linda Hepner, Chair of the Red Tape Reduction Advisory Committee.

Currently, the application is available for building inspections, and the City anticipates rolling out the program for plumbing, electrical, tree and landscape inspections in 2012.

The Red Tape Reduction Advisory Committee, comprised of 16 industry leaders from across the region, is reviewing City by-laws, policies, regulations and procedures and making recommendations on how the elimination or simplification of rules and regulations can occur without negatively impacting environmental standards or life-safety issues. The group is also making recommendations to Council on how the City can minimize red tape when new policies are introduced and implement a permanent system for tracking and reducing unnecessary paperwork.

To download the inspection application, please visit: http://www.surrey.ca/city-services/9363.aspx

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Media Contact:

Tara Foslien
Senior Communications Specialist
Office of the Mayor
604.375.4584