Little-known resource: the 2-1-1 line is granted financial assistance during the study of Gatineau's 2023 budget
Sonia Roy
During the 2023 budget study recently conducted by the municipal council of the City of Gatineau, funds were allocated to maintain the 2-1-1 line in the region. After the arrival of 8-1-1 (info-santé) and 3-1-1 (non-emergency call centre), 2-1-1 is a telephone and chat line established at the height of the pandemic in December 2020 to direct citizens to accessible social and community services. Initially funded by federal government emergency funds, the line is a free option available to all (vulnerable people, people wanting to help, social workers), seven days a week and in 150 languages. In addition to providing a variety of assistance (mobile kitchen, accompaniment to medical appointments, community help and clubs), the 2-1-1 line allows municipalities to obtain statistics specific to the needs of their respective citizens.
In December 2021, the federal government announced the end of funding for 2-1-1. Following a period during which provincial funding was being considered for the maintenance of this resource, coordinated by the organization Centraide, the Legault government finally announced that it would be taken over individually by the municipalities that so desired.
Although this service is not well known, since its creation there have been a total of 1,121 communications (93% of which were made by telephone) and 2,473 referrals to community resources in the Outaouais. The presentation viewed by municipal councillors on November 9 proposed a separate financial arrangement between the various local municipalities and Centraide Outaouais in order to keep the service active through the 2-1-1 platform of the Greater Montreal referral centre. A database for the Outaouais is already established within this platform. Centraide Outaouais proposed funding 20% ($28,361) of the amount required, which represents a total investment of $141,805 for the region's 405,158 residents. For the City of Gatineau, an amount of $81,491 would be required for its 291,041 inhabitants.
Two recommendations closed this presentation regarding the maintenance of the 2-1-1 line, namely recommendation CP-SLSDC-2022-34, which provides for "authorizing the Treasurer to provide an annual recurrent budget of $81,491 starting in 2023 for the re-launch of the 2-1-1 service in the City of Gatineau", as well as recommendation CP-SLSDC-2022-35, which consists of "mandating the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés to work in collaboration with Centraide Outaouais to develop a memorandum of understanding for the relaunch of the 2-1-1 service.” The benefits of the 2-1-1 line for citizens in remote areas as well as its contribution to relieving congestion on the 3-1-1 line were emphasized by the mayor and a few councillors around the table during the presentation.
The adoption of certain recommendations proposed during this study of Gatineau's 2023 budget took place during the week of November 7 to 10, 2022, including the two recommendations concerning the 2-1-1 line, which were adopted without a vote. The adoption of the final budget and its explanation is scheduled for December 6, 2022.
Photo caption: Screenshot - Recreation, Sports and Community Development Department presentation
Photo credit: Courtesy of Ville de Gatineau