As urbanization accelerates, urban governance faces unprecedented challenges. Urban government service hotlines, as vital bridges connecting governments and citizens, are becoming increasingly important in modern urban governance. Xinhua Research Center for Digital Government and Institute for Digital Government and Governance, Tsinghua University jointly launched the Evaluation Report on Worldwide City Hotline Services and Governance Effectiveness on Wednesday at the 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints held in Beijing.
The report points out that Toronto 311 hotline is an innovative hotline with advantages in technological empowerment and open collaboration. It is centered on technological empowerment and exhibit exemplary effects in technology and service innovation. The development features enable the hotline to meet citizens' needs better, improve the quality and efficiency of government services, and promote the modernization of urban governance processes. From the perspective of functional positioning, Toronto 311 hotline is launched using hotline-driven model. This functional positioning establishes the hotline as critical "bridges" between citizens and governments. Through feedback mechanisms, citizens' demands directly influence governmental decision-making and policy formulation.
Toronto's 311 hotline is a key public service platform of the city and is designed to provide residents with convenient and efficient access to information and solutions to their issues. The hotline has expanded its reach through multiple online channels, including a website and mobile platform. This broadens service accessibility, ensuring that citizens can seek assistance anytime, anywhere. Meanwhile, the hotline pursues simplicity, transparency and efficiency in its service processes while respecting users' individual needs. By offering an intelligent user experience, the 311 hotline has enhanced service efficiency, deepened interaction with residents, and significantly improved public satisfaction.
In terms of building an integrated Web-based service platform, Toronto's 311 hotline has enhanced its traditional service channels, and developed and enhanced online service platforms to boost operational efficiency. The web platform, Toronto at Your Service, integrates functions such as filing complaints, tracking progress and searching for service information, offering residents, businesses and tourists a one-stop service experience. The platform also categorizes popular topics and high-frequency service requests to give citizens easy access to the
information they need and reduce their time costs.
In developing real-time mobile services, To further streamline service processes and enhance efficiency, Toronto launched a new mobile app, 311 Toronto, in 2022. This app allows residents to connect with the 311 hotline anytime, anywhere, supporting self-service submission for over 600 types of service requests. The app also features real-time responses and access to an online knowledge base.
In using online data to support decision-making, Toronto's 311 system leverages online channels to collect data from citizens' inquiries, complaints and suggestions, providing an authentic reflection of public needs and urban operations. This data enables the city to track development trends, support urban management agencies in making more reasonable and scientific decisions, and use technologies like big data analysis to promptly identify potential issues and develop targeted solutions.