labs@atheron:~/industries/government$ apply --permit --inspect --issue

Online public services

Residents finish online, and staff can stand behind it.

A licence, an inspection or a benefit application is often the only time a resident deals with their provincial or federal government that year. They want it done quickly. Your staff need to be able to defend it. We build the portals, field apps, assistants and credentials that do both.

Start a project See the example projects

// what you are up against

The problems we hear most.

Applications by PDF and counter visit

Residents download a form, print it, fill it in and bring it to a counter, and staff retype it into a system that cannot take it any other way.

Inspectors who write it all twice

Inspection notes are taken on paper or a tablet that does not talk to the permit system, then typed up back at the office at the end of the day.

Rules residents cannot find

Bylaws, fees and eligibility rules are spread across PDFs and pages written for staff, so the call centre answers the same questions all day.

Licences anyone can fake

A printed business licence or certificate is easy to copy, and a business or employer that wants to check one has to phone the office.

// example projects

Systems we could build for you.

Each one is hypothetical, labelled as such, and priced live from our rate card. Open any of them in the estimator and make it yours.

Example projectWeb app

Municipal permits and licences

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Building permits and business licences are applied for on paper or by emailed PDF, fees are paid at the counter, and applicants call to ask about status.

// What we would build

An accessible web portal where residents and businesses apply, upload plans, pay fees and follow each application, with a staff console for review, comments and approvals, connected to the existing permitting and finance systems.

// What is in it

Guided applications that ask only what applies to the applicant's case
Plan and document upload with checks before submission
Online fee payment through the municipality's processor
Status, comments and requests for more information in one place
A staff console for review, circulation to departments and approval
Built to WCAG accessibility guidelines, in English and French

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
Permitting system integration
Payment processor API
AWS Canada

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$140,000 to US$214,000, delivered within 27 weeksCAD 199,300 to 304,800
Hosting: ≈ US$492 a monthCAD 700 a month
Support: ≈ US$5,010 a monthCAD 7,135 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 5.9 to 10.4 weeks
Core features: 3.4 to 5.9 weeks
Full build: 2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 to 0.9 weeks
Controls built and evidenced: 0.9 weeks
Readiness review: 0.9 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Audit support and remediation: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Onboarding with the identity service: 1 to 4 weeks
Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 39,860 to 60,960
Discovery 5.4%: CAD 10,762.20 to 16,459.20
Design approved 5.4%: CAD 10,762.20 to 16,459.20
Core features 16.3%: CAD 32,485.90 to 49,682.40
Full build 10.8%: CAD 21,524.40 to 32,918.40
Testing and fixes 5.4%: CAD 10,762.20 to 16,459.20
Controls built and evidenced 7%: CAD 13,951 to 21,336
Readiness review 7%: CAD 13,951 to 21,336
Launch 5.4%: CAD 10,762.20 to 16,459.20
Audit support and remediation 7.3%: CAD 14,548.90 to 22,250.40
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 19,930 to 30,480

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appMobile app

Offline field inspector app

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Building and bylaw inspectors take notes on paper, photograph on personal phones and type reports at the office, so results reach applicants a day or more later.

// What we would build

An iOS and Android app that gives inspectors the day's route, the file and checklist for each site, offline note-taking with photos, and a report sent to the applicant as soon as the inspection is closed.

// What is in it

Daily route and inspection files downloaded to the phone
Checklists per inspection type, with photos and location attached
Works offline in a basement or a rural road, and syncs when connected
Results sent to the applicant and written back to the permit file
A supervisor view of inspections by area, inspector and result

// Stack

React Native
Next.js
PostgreSQL
Permitting system integration
AWS Canada

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$117,000 to US$179,000, delivered within 25 weeksCAD 166,300 to 254,400
Hosting: ≈ US$492 a monthCAD 700 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 3.5 to 4 weeks
Design approved: 5 to 8.5 weeks
Core features: 2.5 to 3.5 weeks
Full build: 1 to 2.5 weeks
First build on devices: 4 to 6 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.5 to 1 weeks
Store submission: 1 to 2 weeks
Launch: 1 to 2 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

App store review: 1 week
Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 33,260 to 50,880
Discovery 9.2%: CAD 15,299.60 to 23,404.80
Design approved 9.2%: CAD 15,299.60 to 23,404.80
Core features 7.6%: CAD 12,638.80 to 19,334.40
Full build 5%: CAD 8,315 to 12,720
First build on devices 20.1%: CAD 33,426.30 to 51,134.40
Testing and fixes 2.5%: CAD 4,157.50 to 6,360.00
Store submission 6.7%: CAD 11,142.10 to 17,044.80
Launch 9.7%: CAD 16,131.10 to 24,676.80
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 16,630 to 25,440

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appAIOpen-source model

Plain-language resident assistant

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Residents cannot find which bylaw, fee or form applies to them, so they call or visit, and front-line staff answer the same questions all day.

// What we would build

An assistant on the public website that answers from published bylaws, fee schedules and service pages in plain language and links to the source, on an open-source model hosted in Canada in an account the government controls, so no resident's question leaves its jurisdiction.

// What is in it

Answers in plain language, with a link to the bylaw or page they come from
Hand-off to a person, by phone or a form, when the question needs judgement
No decisions about eligibility or enforcement made by the assistant
An evaluation set of real resident questions, reviewed by staff before every update
An open-source model served in a Canadian region, in an account the government owns

// Stack

Llama or Mistral (open-source)
vLLM
PostgreSQL with pgvector
Next.js
AWS Canada

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$112,000 to US$171,000, delivered within 23 weeksCAD 159,300 to 243,500
Hosting: ≈ US$6,710 a monthCAD 9,550 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

AI route: Open-source model
Model running cost: ≈ US$6,530 a monthCAD 9,300 a month

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Specification and evaluation plan: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.4 to 3.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Working pilot: 4.4 to 7.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Production: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 31,800 to 48,640
Discovery 1.8%: CAD 2,862.00 to 4,377.60
Specification and evaluation plan 10.5%: CAD 16,695 to 25,536
Design approved 1.8%: CAD 2,862.00 to 4,377.60
Core features 5.6%: CAD 8,904.00 to 13,619.20
Full build 3.7%: CAD 5,883.00 to 8,998.40
Working pilot 31.7%: CAD 50,403.00 to 77,094.40
Testing and fixes 1.8%: CAD 2,862.00 to 4,377.60
Launch 1.8%: CAD 2,862.00 to 4,377.60
Production 11.3%: CAD 17,967.00 to 27,481.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 15,900 to 24,320
GPU time for training and testing, at cost: CAD 300. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appBlockchain

Verifiable licences and permits

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Printed licences and certificates are easy to copy, and anyone who needs to check one has to phone or email the issuing office.

// What we would build

Licences and permits issued as verifiable credentials the holder keeps on their phone, signed by the government, with a permissioned ledger operated by participating public bodies that lists issuers and revocations so anyone can check one in seconds. If only one office issues and checks, a signed database record is simpler.

// What is in it

Credentials issued to the holder's digital wallet when a licence is granted
Revocation and expiry visible to every verifier immediately
A permissioned ledger of issuers and revocations, with no personal data on it
A verification page and app for businesses and other agencies
Open standards, so the credential works with other wallets and governments

// Stack

Hyperledger Aries
Hyperledger Indy (permissioned)
W3C Verifiable Credentials
Next.js
AWS Canada

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$129,000 to US$198,000, delivered within 32 weeksCAD 184,100 to 281,500
Hosting: ≈ US$492 a monthCAD 700 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Architecture: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.9 to 4.9 weeks
Core features: 1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Devnet: 3.4 to 5.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 weeks
Testnet: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Controls built and evidenced: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Readiness review: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Mainnet: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Onboarding with the identity service: 1 to 4 weeks
Security assessment and penetration test: 2 to 4 weeks
Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 36,820 to 56,300
Discovery 1.9%: CAD 3,497.90 to 5,348.50
Architecture 5.2%: CAD 9,573.20 to 14,638.00
Design approved 1.9%: CAD 3,497.90 to 5,348.50
Core features 5.9%: CAD 10,861.90 to 16,608.50
Full build 3.9%: CAD 7,179.90 to 10,978.50
Devnet 15.7%: CAD 28,903.70 to 44,195.50
Testing and fixes 1.9%: CAD 3,497.90 to 5,348.50
Testnet 10.4%: CAD 19,146.40 to 29,276.00
Controls built and evidenced 7.7%: CAD 14,175.70 to 21,675.50
Readiness review 7.7%: CAD 14,175.70 to 21,675.50
Launch 1.9%: CAD 3,497.90 to 5,348.50
Mainnet 5.9%: CAD 10,861.90 to 16,608.50
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 18,410 to 28,150

Start from this example

Example projectWeb app

An online service residents can finish

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A provincial program's application is a long PDF form that many applicants cannot complete without calling, and staff spend their days fixing incomplete submissions.

// What we would build

A service design project that turns the form into a short online journey: research with applicants and staff, one question per page in plain language, built to WCAG 2.1 AA, tested with assistive technology, and a design your team can reuse for other services.

// What is in it

Research with applicants and front-line staff
One question per page, in plain language
Built to WCAG 2.1 AA, tested with assistive technology
Reusable patterns for your other online services

// Stack

Figma
Next.js
PostgreSQL
axe-core
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$68,700 to US$105,000, delivered within 18 weeksCAD 97,800 to 149,500
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$1,000 a monthCAD 1,425 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 4.9 to 7.9 weeks
Core features: 1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Full build: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Onboarding with the identity service: 1 to 4 weeks
Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 19,560 to 29,900
Discovery 7.7%: CAD 7,530.60 to 11,511.50
Design approved 7.7%: CAD 7,530.60 to 11,511.50
Core features 23.3%: CAD 22,787.40 to 34,833.50
Full build 15.5%: CAD 15,159.00 to 23,172.50
Testing and fixes 7.7%: CAD 7,530.60 to 11,511.50
Launch 8.1%: CAD 7,921.80 to 12,109.50
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 9,780 to 14,950

Start from this example

Example projectWeb app

Licensing system, modernised in stages

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A regulator's licensing system runs on a platform its vendor no longer supports, only two staff know its quirks, and every renewal season brings the same workarounds.

// What we would build

A staged modernisation: we document the rules the old system enforces, carry every licence and its history across, rebuild the workflow as a web app, and run old and new side by side for a renewal cycle before the old one is retired.

// What is in it

The old system's rules written down and tested
Every licence and its history carried across
Old and new run side by side for a cycle
Hosted in Canada, with documentation your staff own

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
TypeScript
Playwright
Azure Canada

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$91,500 to US$140,000, delivered within 17 weeksCAD 130,300 to 199,300
Hosting: ≈ US$751 a monthCAD 1,070 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.9 to 4.9 weeks
Core features: 2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Full build: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Onboarding with the identity service: 1 to 4 weeks
Procurement and privacy review: 4 to 12 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 26,060 to 39,860
Discovery 7.7%: CAD 10,033.10 to 15,346.10
Design approved 7.7%: CAD 10,033.10 to 15,346.10
Core features 23.3%: CAD 30,359.90 to 46,436.90
Full build 15.5%: CAD 20,196.50 to 30,891.50
Testing and fixes 7.7%: CAD 10,033.10 to 15,346.10
Launch 8.1%: CAD 10,554.30 to 16,143.30
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 13,030 to 19,930

Start from this example

// by service

Go deeper on one kind of work.

Pages for the services we have the most to say about in this industry.

~/apps

Government permit apps

Accessible online permit and licence portals with fee payment and status, and offline inspector apps that send results to applicants the same day, connected to your permitting system.

~/ai

AI for public services

A plain-language assistant on your public website that answers from published bylaws and service pages, links to the source and hands off to staff, on an open-source model hosted in Canada.

~/chains

Government credentials

Licences and permits issued as verifiable credentials the holder keeps on their phone, checked against a permissioned ledger of issuers and revocations run by public bodies.

~/compliance

Government compliance

Government systems built for Protected B scope and WCAG 2.1 AA: classification-aware design, Canadian data residency, security assessment support and accessibility audits.

// questions

What buyers in this industry ask us.

Can you work to privacy and accessibility rules?

Yes. We build to the requirements your privacy, security and accessibility teams set out, such as FOIPPA in British Columbia or your province's equivalent, the Privacy Act for federal bodies, WCAG accessibility guidelines and official languages requirements. We do not give legal advice.

Do you work through public procurement?

Yes. We respond to requests for proposals and work under standing offers where we qualify. We are in British Columbia and work with public bodies across Canada; prices are in Canadian dollars.

How do payments work?

A deposit to start, then payments at agreed milestones, with 10% held until 30 days after launch. The deposit is a smaller share on larger projects. We can follow your own payment terms where procurement requires.

Who owns the code and the data?

You do, once the work is paid for. We can also release the code under an open licence if your policy prefers it.

// other industries

Nearby industries.

~/municipalities

Municipalities

Permits, inspections and bylaw enforcement, 311 service requests with an assistant, resident accounts for utility bills and recreation, council meetings and shared regional cost records.

See the examples

~/legal

Legal

Client portals, contract review models on your own servers, knowledge assistants over past work and evidence timestamping.

See the examples

~/nonprofit

Nonprofit

Donor and volunteer apps, grant writing assistants, impact reporting portals and crypto donation pages.

See the examples

All industries

// where we work

Find your market.

We work from Kelowna with clients across Canada, the United States and further afield. Each market page covers working hours, hosting, the privacy law that applies, and prices in your currency.

Every market

// next

Not quite your project?

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you with a range and the questions that would narrow it. Or book a call and talk it through.

Start a project Book a call