The Turning Point: Remote Work Became the Catalyst for Change 

COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation across every sector. For the Region of Waterloo, it became the moment to replace patchwork systems with something unified and resilient. 

“Once everyone started working from home, VPNs just couldn’t handle the load,” says Lister. “Our designers were spending more time troubleshooting than actually working. It was time to find something better.” 

When Autodesk introduced a Canadian data region, IT gave the green light. “That was huge for us,” he explains. “It wasn’t legislated, but our IT group was much happier knowing our data would stay in Canada.” 

ACC arrived at the perfect time—secure, browser-based, and easy to use. “It had the tools we needed, was secure enough, and simpler than our VPN setup,” says Lister. “Once we tried it, it just fit perfectly.” 

With SolidCAD’s guidance, the Region implemented ACC strategically—standardizing folder structures, permissions, and review workflows across departments. The result was one platform that will eventualy unite separtate divisions Water Services, Transportation, and Waste Management under a shared digital roof. 

The Solution: One Platform, One Region 

Today, ACC anchors the Region’s most critical infrastructure projects—from road rehabilitation and intersection upgrades to water and wastewater treatment facilities. 

“The key is consistency,” says Lister. “People now know exactly where to find the drawings or PDFs they need. Permissions are controlled, and we can ensure everyone sees the latest version.” 

What began as an internal collaboration tool quickly evolved into a shared project environment connecting regional staff, and consultants. “Each time somebody sees it,” he adds, “the enthusiasm grows. It’s probably the most enthusiastic software adoption I’ve ever seen.” 

What’s Next for Waterloo (Region & City Partners) 

Guided by lessons from the rollout, Waterloo’s next phase focuses on deeper, day-to-day collaboration across internal teams and external partners—benefiting both the Region of Waterloo and municipal partners such as the City of Kitchener. 

• Continuous collaboration with consultants
  “I want a much closer tie between consultant staff and Region staff,” says Lister. Rather than waiting for milestone drops (30/60/90/IFC), teams will share work-in-progress more frequently—catching issues earlier and reducing rework. 

• Shared environments and account bridging
  The Region aims to bring consultants into the Region’s ACC environment (or bridge accounts) for common folder structures, permissions, and standards. “If everyone can work together in real time, it eliminates confusion and keeps projects moving efficiently.” 

• Expansion to operating divisions
  Next up: broader onboarding for operating groups beyond design reviewers. “Reviewers tend to be enthusiastic already,” Lister notes. “The priority is helping management and operations see how easy reviews and approvals become when everything’s in one place.” 

• Show, don’t tell: executive demos over long business cases
  Rather than spreadsheets, leadership will see hands-on demos: where to find files, how to markup, how approvals track—so benefits are obvious. “It’s more about showing how we’re using it than the nuts and bolts of the numbers.” 

• Practical KPIs that matter to cities
  Early wins include faster pavement markings and traffic sign approvals. With visible markups and tracked versions, Transportation decisions tighten up: “We can follow changes much closer and get it right—if not the first time, then the second or third.” 

• Targeted cost and schedule gains
  By reviewing continuously, municipal partners expect fewer redesign loops and cleaner coordination, particularly on environmental projects (water/wastewater facilities) managed by consultants. “Better collaboration should mean less rework,” Lister says. 

Together, these steps set up a unified review-and-approval rhythm that municipalities like the Regionof Waterloo can plug into—standard tools, shared context, and faster decisions. 

 SolidCAD: A 15-Year Partner in Waterloo’s Transformation 

For over fifteen years, SolidCAD has helped the Region modernize how it designs, builds, and collaborates—from early training and custom workflows to full-scale cloud transformation. 

“I’ve stayed with SolidCAD all these years because the service is what’s needed—and the price is right,” says Lister. “They’ve always been there when we needed them.” 

Waterloo has always been a place that builds what it imagines. With Autodesk Construction Cloud as its foundation and SolidCAD as its long-term guide, the Region continues to turn innovation into lasting infrastructure.