Geographical Thinking: E120 – GIS as a Service Platform in Stouffville

Local governments are under increasing pressure to deliver faster, more transparent services while meeting the growing expectations of residents. But what if the answer isn't a new system, but a better way to use technology already in place? In this episode of the Geographical Thinking podcast, host Michelle Brake is joined by Brian McPhail and Paul Lefaive from the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON to explore the story behind Service Stouffville, a service request platform built using ArcGIS Online that won the 2026 Gold Award in BeSpatial’s Best Small Organization GIS Award category. Together, Michelle, Brian and Paul discuss how the municipality transformed the way residents report issues, track requests and interact with local government while improving efficiency across municipal departments. Whether you're a geographic information systems (GIS) professional, municipal leader or public sector innovator, this episode showcases how GIS can evolve from a mapping tool into a foundation for better service delivery. We’re posting new episodes full of inspiring geography stories at least monthly. Subscribe to Esri Canada’s channel so you never miss a new episode of Geographical Thinking!  Looking for resources on what we discussed in today’s podcast? Check them out below! Service Stouffville: (https://www.townofws.ca/contact-us/complete-list-of-services/) A centralized service portal that allows residents to submit, track and manage requests for municipal services ranging from roads and parks to facilities and winter maintenance. Development Activity Map: (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/2bf470fd4c564fcb91ca2d82079bd180) An application that helps residents explore current development projects and growth activity occurring throughout the Town of Stouffville. Zoning Viewer: (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/318bfd22b3334d15ac105dc5a448b399) An application that enables residents, developers and property owners to explore zoning information and search properties across Stouffville. The BeSpatial Best Challenge Awards: (https://www.bespatialontario.ca/past-award-winners) Find out more about the awards program that awarded Service Stouffville the 2026 Gold Award in its Best Small Organization GIS category.