County explores AI to improve website experience

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

A new artificial intelligence tool aimed at transforming how residents interact with municipal websites is being considered by County of Brant councillors following a presentation at last week’s Administration and Operations Committee meeting.

Kristy Guthrie, a municipal communications professional, introduced “Municipal AI,” describing it as a modernization tool designed to make it easier for residents to find and understand information online.

“It’s a near universal frustration when people go to city’s website it’s hard to find information,” Guthrie told committee members during her March 17 delegation. 

She said the issue is not the fault of county staff or the communications teams, but rather how municipal websites have historically been structured.

“It's the way municipal websites have been structured since websites existed,” she said. “We have pages of really technical, detailed and time sensitive information.” Guthrie noted it’s put it on the web user to find the pages and pull out the file and make sense of what it means. 

The proposed tool would embed an AI-powered search bar directly into the County’s website, allowing users to ask questions in plain language and receive contextual answers pulled from across the municipality’s digital platforms, including public records, PDFs, and microsites.

Guthrie said traditional keyword searches often fall short because residents don’t always know the exact terms to use.

For example, she noted a common question like, “What is the largest shed I can build before I need a permit,” would not yield helpful results using a standard search function on the County’s current website. 

“With AI there’s technology that changes this and offers new opportunities, which is good because the way people use the internet is also changing,” she said. 

According to presentation materials, the tool is designed to deliver “human-like, plain-language answers” while maintaining privacy and accessibility standards, and can integrate with existing municipal systems such as eScribe and Engage Brant platforms. 

Coun. David Miller said he has experienced firsthand the challenges residents face when navigating the County’s website.

“I’ve been frustrated for years with our county website. Sometimes you can find the information and sometimes you can’t,” Miller said, noting a search for “CAO” returned more than 700 results. 

He added the timing of the proposal aligns with the County’s planned website refresh and transition to a new GovStack platform, as well as the upcoming municipal election.

Coun. Steve Howes also voiced support, calling the idea timely.

“I think in six months there are going to be a number of new faces around this council table. It would help those new councillors a lot if there was an easier way to engage with the information,” he said. 

The system could also help reduce staff workload by limiting routine inquiries, freeing up time for more complex issues, a benefit highlighted in the presentation, which noted staff are often overwhelmed by avoidable calls and emails tied to difficult-to-navigate online information. 

Coun. Robert Chambers questioned the process, noting the presentation came directly to council before being vetted by staff. He asked whether Guthrie would be willing to present to staff for further review, which she confirmed.

Councillors ultimately supported a motion directing staff to review the tool and report back with recommendations.

If implemented, the AI-powered system could be launched within weeks and tailored to the County’s specific goals, including improving transparency, accessibility and public engagement, Guthrie said.