This Government Insights Perspective looks at how the implementation of 311 services in the United States and Canada can be relevant to governments in the Asia/Pacific region. Across the United States and Canada where many cities have embarked on initiatives to alleviate the load of traditional emergency response systems by introducing alternative phone number systems that provide easy access to non-emergency government information and services.

An alternative one-contact-does-it-all system for non-emergency services also provides an opportunity for the government to use a well-established communication channel to respond effectively to non-emergency needs and reach out to citizens.

The experience of New York City and Canada will provide valuable lessons for Asia/Pacific governments that are exploring the feasibility of similar systems.