The City of Edmonton is reducing the operating for its 311 non-emergency telephone line that acts as a central point of contact for city information and services.
Starting March 2, the 311 line will now be closed on Sundays. It already didn’t operate on statutory holidays.
Instead, the telephone line will be staffed Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The service hour changes are part of how the city is reducing spending to respond to budget challenges like inflationary pressures and rapid population growth, and to limit the required tax increase in 2025,” the city said in a news release.
The budget passed at the end of last year included a property taxes increase of 6.1 per cent in 2025, down from the 8.1-per cent that had been proposed by city administrators earlier in the fall.
During budget deliberations, city administrators noted Edmonton’s quickly-growing population, coupled with inflation, has made it increasingly expensive to provide the services that the city currently does.
Deputy city manager Stacey Padbury said last fall Edmonton was delivering services beyond what the budget can support and it was not sustainable.
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The city said 311 call volumes were lower on Sundays anyways, adding an analysis found that day accounts for 6.5 per cent of calls and where answers to the majority of them could be found online.
The new compressed schedule may result in a slight increase to wait times, the city added.
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That said, support for essential public safety and urgent bylaw calls will continue to be available on Sundays and after hours.
Examples of these calls include downed trees, sinkholes, animal attacks, parking in an emergency lane, the city said. People who call into 311 will be prompted to call a dedicated number for urgent after hours inquiries.
Non-emergency queries for things like reporting potholes can still be done 24 hours a day online.
The city’s 311 line was introduced in 2009. People calling can find out all sorts of information about city services and programs, from finding out what day their garbage pickup is to getting help with their tax assessments. People can also get information for things like recreation centres, pools and skating rinks, and transit.
People can also file complaints for things like parking violations, nuisance properties and potholes or other road issues.
The 311 app was introduced in 2014, allowing people to send in photos and GPS info to better pinpoint where concerns need to be directed.
Since launching, the city said 311 has connected people with the information they need over 25 million times.
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