Halton launches 311 service
Halton Region is making it easier for residents to connect to programs and services.
It has launched the 311 non-emergency service online, which allows residents to find, pay, register, report or request services from the Region, Halton Regional Police, or local municipalities.
Residents can now either dial 311 or visit www.halton.ca/311 to access all eight Halton government partners (Regional and local municipal governments, Halton Regional Police Service, Halton District School Board and Halton Catholic District School Board) and find out more about recycling and waste pick-up or register for parenting or parks and recreation programs.
Customer Service is a priority of Halton Region’s Citizens’ Priorities (2011-2014) Action Plan. Last year, more than 290,000 residents called Access Halton for information about programs and services.
From www.halton.ca/311
What is 311?
- 311 is an easy-to-remember, three-digit, non-emergency telephone number that offers a single window of direct access to Halton government services.
- 311 provides free, multilingual assistance to anyone calling from within Halton.
- It allows citizens to request a service or receive general information.
Whose services can I access by dialing 311?
- Halton Region
- City of Burlington
- Town of Halton Hills
- Town of Milton
- Town of Oakville
- Halton District School Board
- Halton Catholic District School Board
- Halton Regional Police Service (non-emergency calls)
Why do we need 311?
- 311 means you don’t need to know which Halton government provides a particular service. You don’t have to sort through dozens of telephone numbers to find the people you need to talk to.
- 311 also provides an easy-to-remember telephone number for non-emergency police calls which will reduce the burden of non-emergency calls made to 9-1-1.
How does 311 work?
- 311 calls will be answered by customer service representatives in Access Halton.
- While 311 is a program of Halton Region, callers will be able to access the programs and services provided by any of the eight partner organizations:
- Regional and Local Municipal governments
- Halton Regional Police Service
- Halton District School Board
- Halton Catholic District School Board
- The customer service representatives will use a powerful database of about 1,500 records to respond to your inquiries on a vast array of Halton government services.
What are some examples of 311 calls?
- reports of potholes
- questions on site plan applications
- location and hours of libraries
- requests to register for parks and recreation programs
- complaints about parking bylaw infractions
- reports of stolen property after an event has occurred
- requests to hire police officers for special events
- reports of motor vehicle accidents
- queries on police security checks
- reports of suspected food poisoning
- queries about well water
- requests to book travel health clinic appointments
- reports of dog bites
- requests for financial assistance
- queries on child development
- queries on road construction projects
- reports of sewer backup
- reports of missed garbage collection
- queries on acceptable items for recycling
What are the hours of operation?
- You can dial 311 any time and speak to a live person.
- Regular business hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- After regular business hours, only those of an urgent nature will be handled.
Will 311 work from cell phones, payphones, etc.?
- Yes.
Can I still call the city or town directly using the ten digit number I have previously used to reach them?
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Yes, and if you know the name of the person you wish to speak to, you should always call the ten-digit numbers.