- Cambridge, Ontario, launched Archistar AI PreCheck as part of its nine-initiative Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.
- The initiative supports the City’s efforts to modernize development review through digital tools, AI, and data-driven processes.
- AI PreCheck provides applicants with early feedback and greater confidence to help improve application quality before submission.
- The tool is available to both city staff and applicants, with human oversight from Cambridge’s planners.
Cambridge, Ontario – The City of Cambridge has adopted Archistar AI PreCheck as a key initiative in its Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan, supported through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program.
AI PreCheck will support the City’s Digital Twin and Accelerated Approvals initiative by providing applicants with early feedback on plans before submission. Designed to enhance the customer experience, the platform helps applicants better understand requirements and navigate the review process with greater confidence.
The City of Cambridge is a fast-growing area of Southern Ontario. An hour to 90-minute drive from Toronto, it has 163,000 residents and serves as a hub for advanced manufacturing, serving the automotive industry (including Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada), automation and robotics, energy and nuclear technology, heavy equipment, and aerospace.
It’s also a cultural destination, featuring a drive-through African Lion Safari and a butterfly conservatory. And thanks to its 19th-century limestone architecture, Cambridge is a frequent filming site for movies and TV series, including The Handmaid’s Tale and The Queen’s Gambit.
Modernizing Development for Low- and Medium-Density Housing
The City’s Cambridge Digital Twin technology and AI PreCheck platform are part of a broader effort to modernize development review through digital tools and data-driven processes. AI PreCheck is available to both applicants and City staff and is designed to assist applicants by providing early feedback on plans before submission.
“I first became aware of this technology at the Association of Municipalities (AMO) Conference two years ago and thought this would be a great way to improve efficiencies in the City’s process,” Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett says. “Cambridge is growing quickly, and we need to continue to find better ways to increase the housing supply while meeting the needs of our community. These new tools will help make the development process easier to understand and support a more efficient experience for residents, builders, and City staff.”
At launch, AI PreCheck will review housing proposals against applicable zoning requirements, helping applicants identify potential issues and improve application quality before submission. Additional functionality will be introduced over time.
“It’s been great working with Cambridge on this project and helping guide the team through the Archistar onboarding process,” says Archistar’s Joe Philbrook, VP, Customer. “Bringing their consolidated zoning framework—which merged 16 residential zones into four—to life through Archistar’s AI PreCheck solution took real collaboration between both teams. This launch marks an important milestone in Cambridge’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan and demonstrates how digital tools can help improve application quality and support a more efficient review process.”
The Plan Review Process with AI PreCheck
At launch, AI PreCheck will review housing proposals and additional residential units in select residential zones against applicable Cambridge zoning requirements. Applicants can upload plans to receive an automated evaluation of zoning compliance, helping them better understand how proposals align with applicable regulations before a formal submission. Applications continue to be reviewed by staff.
Archistar, which is ISO/IEC 27001 and 42001 certified, will provide the City with managed infrastructure security, data encryption to protect client data, manual override controls, and auditability.
Learn more about AI PreCheck on Cambridge’s website.
