New online payment system in the works for Huntsville's Development Services Department

The system can be used for building permits, applications and STR licences

Huntsville Council approved a new online payment system for the Town’s Development Services Department, in the February 25, 2026, meeting.

According to the staff report, Council endorsed staff's recommendation to implement the payment solution integrated with Cloudpermit, allowing residents and applicants to pay for building permits, development charges, planning applications, and short-term rental accommodation licences electronically.

The move is intended to modernize municipal services, improve customer access, and streamline payment processing.

Chief Building Official, Christopher Nagy, said the change “has been on the docket since we implemented iCloud… Contractors have been asking for it.”

Cloudpermit has been used by the Town of Huntsville since 2021 as an online application submission portal for building permits. Over time, its use expanded to include planning applications, short-term rental licensing, and by-law enforcement. Despite that expansion, payments have continued to require cheques by mail, in-person visits to Town Hall, or credit card payments made over the phone. Staff identified the lack of an integrated online payment option as a gap in service delivery.

The report continues that under the approved approach, payments associated with Cloudpermit will transition to an online payment platform using Paymentus. The system will allow customers to make payments remotely using credit cards or Visa Debit, improving convenience and access outside of regular business hours.

Staff indicated that the estimated one-time cost to integrate Paymentus with Cloudpermit is approximately $25,000, with no ongoing operational fees.

According to the report, implementation costs will be funded proportionately through Building, Planning, and Short-Term Rental reserves.

Staff noted that the Town currently absorbs all credit card merchant fees, which exceeded $130,000 across all departments in 2025, with a three-year annual average of approximately $120,000. The new system is expected to significantly reduce those costs over time.

As part of the change, credit card payments made online and at Town Hall counters will be subject to a processing fee, consistent with Council direction approved in 2023 allowing a merchant surcharge of up to 2.4 per cent.

Payments made by debit, cash, or cheque at the counter will remain exempt from processing fees to ensure equitable access for residents.

Staff described the initiative as the first phase of a broader modernization of payment services.

They added that additional municipal payment systems will be reviewed in future phases, with the goal of improving efficiency, consistency, and transparency across departments while maintaining multiple payment options for the public.