Today is #211DayCanada! Powered in partnership with United Way, 211 Day is a national public awareness initiative for the 211 information navigation service that helps make the complex network of community and government social services more accessible.
“The 211 service helps make our community’s social services more visible and accessible to those in need, including all the programs we fund,” said United Way Halton & Hamilton president and CEO, Brad Park. “211 is a lifeline for the most challenging barriers our friends and neighbours experience, especially during this difficult time.”
The needs people expressed in calls with 211 revealed some of the acute symptoms of the COVID-19 lockdown measures on the lives of Canadians. In April of 2020, 211 received more than nine times as many requests for food-related needs, and more than three times as many requests related to financial assistance relative to baseline call volumes in January and February of 2020.
As Canadians grappled with the effects of COVID-19 on their lives at the start of 2020, the national 211 network experienced a 30 per cent increase in total call volume over the previous year (March – December). As the pandemic wore on, the needs expressed by callers shifted.
In the second half of 2020, calls related to housing support and mental health and addictions rose sharply. By December, the number of requests related to housing had risen by one third relative to December 2019 call volumes, and requests for information and referrals for mental health and addiction services had doubled.
“…We are proud to support programs and services, like the 211 telephone line and online directory. With the ongoing pandemic, the 211 service is more important than ever, helping get information about community services to the Canadians who need it,” says Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen.
Throughout the pandemic, 211 has and will continue to provide Canadians with help navigating the support services available during this challenging time.
211 helps people to navigate the system and find support quickly and easily, which takes the strain off agencies and other services like 911 who would otherwise be handling these calls. Residents should always call 911 for a life-threatening emergency, when a property is in danger, or a crime is in progress that requires the police, fire or paramedics.
More Canadians than ever can Make the Right Call and access information about government and community-based health and social services, thanks to 211.
Make the Right Call
911 is the number to call for life-threatening emergencies; however, many Canadians are calling 911 for other reasons that are better handled by 211 Navigators. Chief Bryan Larkin, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, says he and his members know first-hand the importance of ensuring more people know about 211 as a front door to support.
“Our frontline officers respond to calls for service from the community every day, not related to crime. The stress and anxiety brought on by the pandemic, an inability to feed or house yourself or your family, substance abuse, those are examples of real emergencies for people, and when they don’t know where to turn, they often go to the number they know best. But, we’re hoping increased access to 211, and a better understanding of the service will divert more of those calls to the helpline that can connect people to the support they need,” says Larkin.
211 is the number to call for information on community-based health, social and government services. It is the number to call when you need help but aren’t sure where to turn.
In large cities, 311 is the number established to access information about municipal services (such as by-law enforcement, road repairs, garbage collection, municipal recreation programs, property taxes, etc.)
411 is the number that residents call for business or residential listings (phone book/yellow pages).
811 is the number that residents call for help finding health information and services.
