The Growing Popularity of Vancouver's 3-1-1 Information Line

Since its 2009 launch, Vancouver’s 3-1-1 information line has proven popular among Vancouverites, with 2014 looking to be its biggest year yet.

The 3-1-1 information line was introduced in Vancouver in February 2009 as a means for citizens to request information and ask for non-emergency services such as garbage pickup or the removal of abandoned cars. Information obtained from the City of Vancouver data portal shows that since its first full year in service, traffic for the service has increased dramatically.

Year-on-year, traffic for the 3-1-1 contact center has continued to rise. In certain months, traffic for 2014 nearly doubles the traffic during 2010.

Alfred Liu, a supervisor at the 3-1-1 contact center believes the success comes from the accountability and simplicity the service provides. “I think it is probably one point of contact,” he said, ”the blue pages back inside the yellow pages of the white pages used to have several – maybe 1,400 different numbers, that’s all you’d have to look through and phone. This one, I guess you have one number for a point of contact with the city, and there is a little accountability and tracking as well.”

Vancouver resident Devin Ariyaratne believes the simplicity of the service is what makes it so appealing. “It's an easier way to communicate your problems," he said. "Like, instead of going to the city and waiting for the city to, you know, get back to you, you just call 3-1-1, right? It's like a more convenient method. All you have to do is dial a number."

(Film Student Devin Ariyaratne in Vancouver, B.C. working on a film project - taken by Chris Harcus)

The 3-1-1 contact center receives all kinds of different concerns, according to Liu. “[We receive] everything from garbage, to animal control, to booking inspections.”

Missed garbage disposal is currently ranked as the most frequent reason to call the information line. However, stats show that missed garbage pickups have dropped significantly since 2013. The 3-1-1 line may have been an attribute in lowering complaints.

Calls such as the missed garbage pick-ups are used to gain information about complaints and concerns of the citizens of Vancouver, as well as direct people to services that may assist them. “We primarily take information and channel it to either different departments or we will actually make service requests for different departments," Lui said.

Despite the growing popularity of the 3-1-1 contact centre, many Vancouver citizens still don’t know that the phone line exists. Vancouver resident Jade Lam believes that a lack of advertising is the cause of the problem. "More people should be educated on it,” she said, “Especially considering I haven’t seen it advertised anywhere.”

Devin Ariyaratne agrees. “The word-of-mouth isn’t strong,” he said.

However, Lam believes its popularity can be attributed to its ease of contact and Vancouverites need for information. “I think one reason [for its success] involves people wanting to know more about what’s going on,” she said.

“Ignorance isn’t bliss.”