Laval's 211 telephone service goes live

Laval's new 211 telephone information line dedicated to social and community services is now live.

Operators are available seven days aweek from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., year-round, and can provide callers with information on 300 organizations in the Laval and greater Montreal area.

Organizations dedicated to food safety, homelessness, psychosocial support, employment assistance and human rights are among those211 operators can refer callers to.

The same information can be obtained at the service's website.

The telephone referenceservice, a first of its kind in the Montreal area,is available in English and French with multilingual assistance as well.

211 already in place in other Canadian cities

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission reserved the 211 number at the request of Centraide/United Way in 2011.

The serviceis already placein many Canadian cities and regions.

In Quebec, it's currently available in the Quebec City region, theChaudire-Appalaches region and Haute-Yamaska.

The City of Lavalinvested $305,000 in the five-year joint initiative with theCentre deRfrencedu GrandMontral.

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