After years of talk and delays, the City of Toronto finally launched its 311 hotline for residents in September 2009.
What is 311?
In short, it is a service to help Toronto citizens cut through red tape. The 311 phone number serves as a central line for dealing with non-emergency city services. When you call, a live operator is available to either answer your question or in some cases put in a work order for a specific problem. In cases where the operator is unable to help you, they should be able to transfer you directly to the line of a person who can help, skipping over the mess of phone menu guessing games.Why Call 311?
Residents can use the service to get assistance with their own questions or to report problems in the community, such as potholes or broken streetlights.
Hours of Service
You can call 311 and receive a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When NOT to Call 311
The 311 service does not replace the 911 emergency line. You should still always call 911 in the event of an emergency including but not limited to fire, injury or a crime that is actively being committed.
The 311 Website
The 311 website already guides you to other areas of the city website. As the service grows, the website will eventually offer online registration for city programs and allow you to track the progress of work orders online.• Visit www.toronto.ca/311
Sources/Further Reading
• City of Toronto Website - About 311• City of Toronto Press Release: Toronto residents and businesses to get full service from new 3-1-1 technology
• 'Six years later, 311 service almost ready' by Vanessa Lu for The Toronto Star (August 24, 2009)
