Making 311 Work Better for Residents

If you've called my office about a pothole, an overflowing garbage bin, overgrown grass, a missed collection, or any number of neighbourhood concerns, you've probably had my team offer to file a 311-service request on your behalf. Or you’ve contacted 311 yourself, either by phone, using the app or filing out the online form. Reporting issues through 311 helps City staff identify problems quickly and prioritize repairs and maintenance where they are needed most.

But if you've used 311, you've probably experienced some frustrations as well.

In my own experience, I’ve found that it can be difficult to find the right service request category online or in the app. You have also reported experiencing long wait times when calling.

One of the most common complaints my office hears is confusion about service request status updates.

You report a pothole. You receive a service request number and an estimated timeline. When that date arrives, you check the status and discover the request has been marked "closed." Yet the pothole is still there.

Naturally, residents assume their request has been dismissed or ignored.

In reality, that "closed" status often means something very different. In many cases, 311 has completed its role by forwarding the request to the appropriate City division. Transportation Services, Parks, Forestry, Municipal Licensing and Standards, or another division may still be actively working on the issue. The problem is that residents often have no way of knowing what is happening behind the scenes. That lack of visibility creates frustration, uncertainty, and unnecessary follow-up calls both to 311 and to councillors' offices.

That is exactly the gap the City is now working to close.

I am encouraged by a series of service improvements from the City’s Customer Experience Division, which manages 311, that were shared at this week’s Executive Committee meeting.

A central focus of this work is a new initiative called “Closing the Loop.” It is designed to give residents clearer information throughout the life of a service request. Instead of simply seeing a status change from open to closed, residents will be able to see what stage their request is in, what work is underway, and what happens next.

For me, this is the most important part of the project. When residents understand what is happening, they know whether work is progressing as expected or whether it is time to contact my office for assistance.

The City has already begun piloting this approach in Parks services. Residents who submit requests can now receive written status updates from staff explaining the progress being made. More detailed completion notes are also being provided so residents can better understand how issues were addressed.

Over time, similar improvements will be expanded to high-volume services including transportation, forestry, property standards, and other frequently requested City services.

Alongside these communication improvements, staff are also redesigning the 311 website and mobile experience. Rather than requiring residents to understand the City’s internal organizational structure, the new system will reflect how people actually think about everyday problems. You should not need to know which division is responsible for a particular issue in order to report it. The process should be simple, intuitive, and easy to navigate.

The City is also introducing new technology, including artificial intelligence tools, to help residents find the right service request more quickly and support 311 staff in providing faster, more accurate information. Internally, AI tools are already helping agents respond more efficiently, contributing to a reduction in average connection times from approximately three minutes to about forty seconds.

Importantly, this work is being delivered within the existing 311 budget. This is not about spending millions of additional dollars on a new system. It is about improving processes, using technology more effectively, and designing services around the people who use them. It is an example of government working smarter to deliver better results.

Every year, 311 handles more than 1.5 million interactions with residents, and Don Valley North residents already make extensive use of the service. In the first half of 2026 alone, our community generated more than 5,600 service requests. While that is one of the lower ward totals across the city, it still represents thousands of residents taking the time to report issues and help keep our neighbourhoods clean, safe, and well-maintained. Road damage and pothole repairs remain the most common requests this year, while damaged garbage bins, dead animal pickups, snow removal concerns, and property maintenance issues consistently rank among the most frequently reported problems. 

When a system serves that many people, across so many different divisions, even small improvements can have a meaningful impact on the experience residents have with their City government.

The goal is straightforward: make it easier to report problems, make it easier to understand what is happening after a report is submitted, and make it easier for residents to get the information they need when they need it.

I hope these improvements make accessing 311 easier, more transparent, and less frustrating for residents. Every pothole reported, every damaged bin flagged, and every maintenance issue brought to the City’s attention helps keep our neighbourhoods clean, safe, and welcoming.

The reality is that City staff cannot be everywhere at once. The thousands of reports submitted by engaged residents each year are one of the most important tools we have for identifying problems and responding quickly. The easier it is for residents to report issues, and the better information they receive throughout the process, the more effective we can be at delivering the services that make Toronto a great place to live.

When 311 works better, our entire city works better.

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