BIA Cloud

311 Toronto BIA Q&A – Biweekly Meeting April 29

311 Toronto Information Session

BIA Biweekly Meeting April 29, 2025

Presented by:

Sarah Powell-Smith, Director, 311 Channel Operations, Customer Experience Division (CXD), City of Toronto

sarah.powell-smith@toronto.ca

Customer Experience Division (CXD) Guests:

Ayisha Memon, Service Design Consultant, ayisha.memon4@toronto.ca

Daniel Ura, Service Design Researcher, daniel.ura@toronto.ca

Karis Flowers, Manager, Strategic Policy and Planning, karis.flowers@toronto.ca

Heleny Senadipathy, Administrative Assistant, Heleny.Senadipathy@toronto.ca

Email SRs

Key messages:

• The Customer Experience Division (CXD/311 Toronto) has an email enhancement project launch scheduled for July 1st which is re-introducing SRs back through email.
• There are two pre-launch pilots underway. One pilot is for graffiti reporting enhancements for Cllr Saxe’s BIA and the second pilot is for all SRs for 2 BIA’s in Cllr Morley’s ward (Lakeshore Village and Mimico Village).
• There will be communications sent out to BIAs prior to the July 1st launch with further detail.
• It is important that as email intake for SRs is re-introduced, BIAs plan to use 1 email address for email submissions – this will allow more accurate tracking/reporting of SRs.

Batch Reporting

Key Messages:

• In partnership with the Technology Services Division (TSD), CXD are exploring the feasibility of a Central Login platform that will allow the public to use a single login credential for City online services, including possibility of being able to submit multiple service requests.
• Ayisha and Daniel (from the Service Delivery and Design team) will be conducting feasibility research including conducting interviews with BIAs to better understand pain points and needs.
• Down the road – once we are closer to the eventual build, if the research indicates that a design solution is the ideal outcome, then it’s possible that we engage BIAs again for usability testing. This would involve sharing prototypes and getting user feedback.

SR Timelines (SLA – Service Level Agreements)

Key messages:

• 311 intakes calls and submits SRs to the applicable divisions. Our CSRs provide the customer with their unique SR number and SLA for follow up. For SRs submitted through online channel, there is an email response that identifies the SLA.
• If the SLA has passed and the work is not completed, we ask that you call 311 and advise our CSR who will submit a complaint to the division, or you can submit a complaint yourself through our self serve portal. The CSR will also provide an SLA for the complaint.
• Each SR has a unique SLA which is determined by the division.311 Toronto does not determine the SLA for the division.

SR Status, Communications, Follow-up

Key Messages:

• Thank you for the ongoing feedback. Improving SR status (including descriptions and options) and communication is a priority of the city. It is a work in progress and involves many service divisions with separate back-end systems that link to 311 system.
• This work is part of Closing the Loop initiative which is a top priority for the City of Toronto. The efforts include both business processes and technical functionality.
• We (311 Channel Operations) are working with integrated service divisions (ISDs) to enhance the SR notes process which includes prompts that require divisions to state why an SR is being closed + add pictures etc. (more descriptive notes). The City (CXD and Technology Services Division in collaboration with other divisions) are looking at how the technical system can be improved using drop down menus, adding codes and meaningful updates etc. This is longer term work, that requires more planning and is complex as it touches many systems used by various divisions.
• The status of an SR is updated by the division that is responsible for the SR.
• 311 does not follow up with ISDs. We provide our customers with an SR number and SLA. If the work is not completed by the given SLA our customers are asked to call 311 and advise our CSRs so that they can submit a complaint to the division, or the BIA is able to submit a complaint themselves.

Complaints and Escalations

not resolved.

Key Messages:

• Unresolved SRs should be alerted to 311 once the SLA passes or if customer is not satisfied with the work. Our CSRs will submit a complaint to the division, or you can submit a complaint yourself using our self-service portal and the division will be reaching out or ensuring the SR is completed. Our CSRs will provide an SLA for the complaint. If the complaint is not addressed by the SLA, we ask that 311 Toronto be alerted so that we can submit an escalation to the division.
• Complaints may also be submitted for things outside of SRs, such as inappropriate city staff behaviour

Graffiti

• The City of Toronto can only action city assets. Graffiti on Bell, Rogers, Canada Post and other external agency assets must be reported directly to the agency responsible.
• An SR can be submitted for graffiti on City owned properties. 311 also asks that any discriminatory, hate-motivated or gang-related graffiti be reported to Toronto Police non-emergency line (416-808-2222) or online at TPS Online Reporting before removal.
• Recently, meetings were held with external agencies including Toronto Hydro, Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto Parking Authority and the Toronto Police Services to explore opportunities to improve coordination of graffiti reporting across various assets.
• In additional to ongoing work to improve online information on City website for graffiti reporting, we have also partnered with Toronto Hydro and are working towards the use of a photo gallery to provide visual guides to properly identify ownership of poles or other assets.
• Effective March 31, 2025, BIAs in Concillor Saxe BIAs can submit graffiti SRs via email at 311@toronto.ca as a pre-pilot ahead of email service being expanded to the public.

Miscellaneous

• We don’t currently have tutorials or videos on how to use the self serve the app to report SRs, however, we do have a section on our public site that provides an overview of the app’s features, including key functionalities, guidance on how the app works, and tips on “how to be a good mobile reporter.” This can be found on the 311 Toronto Mobile App page on the City of Toronto
• Encampment reporting – Please contact 311 to report an encampment in a City park or right-of-way (sidewalk, boulevard, or roadway). The City of Toronto street outreach team works to connect individuals living outside and in encampments with shelter and housing along with other wrap-around support. Note: complainants will only be contacted if additional information is required.
• Other 311 enhancements in progress in 2025: Email enhancements to accept SRs (July 1 go-live); work on enhancements related to Closing the Loop (improvement to SR status description); exploration of needs for account/batch reporting functionality (including BIA interviews); Parks integration into 311(go-live Q3)
• For enhanced reporting on SRs in your community, please contact your councillor’s office to request a copy of the monthly dashboard that is distributed to them.
• Please continue to escalate concerns and feedback to 311 – we depend on BIAs to help us improve services!