Navigating City Services

One of the critical tasks that my office performs for residents and taxpayers is assisting with accessing city programs and services. I would like to take a moment to discuss how my office can help and how residents can best navigate City services.

Casework and correspondence – our commitment to the community

My office invests significant time and energy toward hearing from residents and helping with their concerns. We respond to every email that comes into our office and call back everyone who leaves us a message. It is a vital part of how we serve the community.

Quick facts:

·         We have sent roughly 3,500 messages from our Ward email account, and even more cases and correspondence have been handled by myself or the members of my team at public events, through our private email addresses, and on social media.

·         Based on a representative sample, our office has handled over 2800 phone calls since being sworn in last year.

·         Over the last eleven months, my team and I have assisted with more than 6,000 requests for assistance or information.

·         Additionally, my team currently has roughly 50 outstanding case items, many of which are complex files that require significant work with City staff to complete.

·         This compares to 1748 calls or emails from the public to 3-1-1 during the full year of 2022 in our Ward.

The most common types of requests we receive from residents have to do with speeding and traffic concerns, as well as service and maintenance requests for roads, parks, potholes. And dare I mention snow clearing when we are in the middle of what feels like summer?

Please note that due to the volume of calls that we receive, our phone lines are often busy. Please leave us a message if you would like us to call you back.

Navigating 3-1-1 and City services

Often times, my team and I can expedite service requests that have been made directly through 3-1-1. Residents can submit requests either over the phone or online using the link here: 3-1-1 | City of Ottawa.

To report issues ranging from potholes, street light issues, missed garbage pick-up, issues with parks, roadside maintenance, or most other common municipal issues, your first call or email should usually go to the 3-1-1 call centre. Moreover, requests can be made via 3-1-1 for temporary traffic calming measures in locations throughout the City. Many requests can be actioned directly by City staff without my office having to follow-up.  

While my office prioritizes responding to residents as quickly as possible, in most cases and for most residents, 3-1-1 is the best way to have your issues addressed quickly. This is because 3-1-1 has significantly more resources than my office to handle many of these requests.

While filing your 3-1-1 requests, residents have an option of providing permission to Service Ottawa to notify my office of your service request. We receive these reports every week and it helps me to track what residents are concerned about.

Who’s best to call? Understanding how to resolve other common issues

If there is a life-threatening emergency, always contact 9-1-1 immediately.

For residents who have concerns regarding development applications, contacting the lead planner assigned to the application is advisable. My office is included on responses by staff so I am kept in the loop. You can find information on how to do so here: https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/

For those who wish to report speeding concerns, you must file a report directly with the Ottawa Police. My office cannot file these reports on behalf of residents. You can file a report online by clicking the link here: File a Report - Ottawa Police Service or you may call 613-236-1222 ext 7300. The Ottawa Police will only deploy officers when reports are filed for traffic enforcement.

For most residents in our Ward, our federal representative is MP Pierre Poilievre. MP Poilievre’s office can assist with issues such as visas, pension benefits, income tax, citizenship, and other matters of federal jurisdiction.

Moreover, for most residents in our Ward, our provincial representative is MPP Goldie Ghamari. MPP Ghamari’s office can assist with issues related to education, healthcare, highways, and other matters of provincial jurisdiction.

If you are having trouble reaching political representatives at a different level of government, my office is always able to help route emails to their respective teams. Moreover, if you aren’t sure who to call, reach out to my team any time and we can provide advice as to which level of government is best suited to addressing your concerns.

Working together to solve problems

Where my office can be most useful is in cases where residents feel that 3-1-1 is unable to help them or if they are not receiving timely assistance from staff. My office can help expedite, reactivate, or escalate requests from residents on municipal issues. It is beneficial when residents create service requests directly with the City before asking my team to follow-up as this helps us urge staff to act more quickly.

As always, if you think that my team or I can help or if you are not sure where to go for help, please call us at 613-580-2491 or email ward21@ottawa.ca