Upcoming improvements to Western Canada’s locate request software!

By Kassi Zaba, Public Awareness Coordinator, Utility Safety Partners

The locate request software in Western Canada is getting a new look! Before You Dig Partners and PelicanCorp developed a two-phase improvement plan to enhance the online locate request form. The first phase of the improvement plan launches on Jan. 24, 2024, and introduces the following features. 

The most noticeable feature is a brand-new user interface. Excavators will see a new dashboard and new navigation tools when logging in to request locates. One benefit of the updated user interface is it allows the mobile platform to perform the exact same way as the desktop platform. This means when users use their phone or tablet to request locates, they can search for the dig location by Legal Land Description (LLD) and access the Positive Response portal. If you’re away from your computer and need to request a locate, no problem! You can do it the exact same way from your phone. 

The software update also includes improved mapping tools. The first enhancement is a display showing the length of the work area as the user draws the dig site on the map. This allows mapped work areas to be as precise as possible. When finalizing the map drawing, excavators simply click the first map point. No more need to double tap the map! This makes it easier to draw the work area on a mobile device. Additionally, the address fields on the ticket will automatically populate with the location of the drawn area when the work area is in an urban location. Ticket requestors will have the option of keeping the auto-populated address, the searched address, or manually entering the address.   

Additional enhancements include easier ticket entry for homeowners and the introduction of a ticket copy function. 

Another exciting feature in the first phase of the improvement plan is a new ticket field for the Alternate Locate Provider program. What is the Alternate Locate Provider program, you ask? Beginning in Spring 2024, contractors in Alberta will have the option of waiting for the utility-provided locator to mark the site, or hiring a certified locator to complete the locates. Contractors who choose to hire their own locator from a pool of certified locators will indicate this via checkbox on the locate request ticket. Watch for further details about the Alternate Locate Provider program throughout the winter!

Additional details about the upcoming software changes will be added to the Before You Dig Partners website up until launch on Jan. 24. The second phase of the software improvement plan is planned for late 2024/early 2025.