Press Release
OTTAWA, Wednesday June 3rd, 2009 — Ottawa and Prince Edward Island residents now have a quick and easy way to report things like potholes, illegal dumping, overflowing garbage cans, and burnt out lights.
The website FixMyStreet.ca allows residents to pinpoint where exactly the problem is on a city map, attach a photo, and have it sent directly to their city's 311 department for follow-up. Citizens can browse reports already filed, and subscribe to issues they're interested in. FixMyStreet.ca is based on a similar project in the UK develped by the not-for-profit group MySociety.org, which sees tens of thousands of problems reported annually.
"There are a lot of efficiencies to be gained by knowing that someone else has reported the same problem, and it's much more cost effective to have citizens report the problems themselves than hire staff to drive around patrolling for potholes and other public works issues" said Chris Taggart, who adapted the site for Canada.
The site is focused on public works issues like potholes, dumping, streetlights that are out, and graffiti. "Ideally a tool like this should reduce the number of routine 311 calls, and increase transparency in the process." said Chris.
FixMyStreet.ca has been up in stealth mode for nearly two months. ‘The city of Ottawa has been very responsive.' said Jennifer Bell, Executive Director of VisibleGovernment.ca, the non-profit that maintains the site. 'One complaint about the general condition of the sidewalks on Morris Street, in Ottawa’s Capital Ward, was resolved within two weeks.’ Laura Wesley, an Ottawa citizen, agrees: ‘The city has been fixing potholes as fast as I report them.’
The site is maintained by VisibleGovernment.ca, a non-partisan non-profit that promotes online tools for government transparency.
About FixMyStreet.ca
FixMyStreet.ca is a website that lets citizens easily report, view, or discuss local problems they’ve found to their city's 311 department.
About VisibleGovernment.ca
VisibleGovernment.ca is a non-partisan non-profit dedicated to promoting online tools for government transparency in Canada. Contact Jennifer Bell, Executive Director, at 514-513-0475 or visiblegovernment@gmail.com.