Your Turn to Cut Red Tape at City Hall
City of Calgary launches Cut Red Tape survey
Calgarians asked for solutions to their red tape experiences
Calgary, AB: Today, Mayor Naheed Nenshi unveiled The City of Calgary’s latest step to continue to cut red tape at City Hall. The Council-supported Cut Red Tape initiative is a chance for all Calgarians to share their solutions to cut red tape based on their own experiences working with The City.
Citizens can complete the Cut Red Tape survey at www.cutredtape.ca or by calling 3-1-1. The survey will run until November 15, 2012.
“By cutting red tape, we’re making it easier and better for citizens to interact with The City,” said Mayor Nenshi. “The best solutions to red tape often come from those who experience it directly—that’s why it’s so important to ask citizens for their ideas.”
Every red tape experience and related solution will be reviewed and considered for implementation. Updates will be provided at www.cutredtape.ca.
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| Mayor Nenshi and Alderman Demong literally cut red tape to launch the new survey. |
Phase One of the Cut Red Tape initiative was launched in March 2011 and included asking City of Calgary employees what they felt could be done to improve customer service at The City of Calgary by cutting red tape. More than 180 submissions were received over two weeks and a handful of recommendations are being implemented and many business units are including many of the other recommendations in future work plans.
For Phase Two, Mayor Nenshi brought together a host of business advocacy organizations to collaborate on solutions to cut red tape. This involved asking the various organization memberships for red tape solutions and determining, as an advisory group, the next steps for implementing short, medium, and long-term recommendations. More than 200 submissions were received during this phase.
Since this initiative began, The City of Calgary has implemented a number of improvements to remove anything obsolete, redundant, wasteful or confusing that diminishes Calgary’s economic and lifestyle competitiveness. Examples of these changes include:
- Increased (and continue to increase) the number of online 3-1-1 Service Requests from 40 to now over 100
- Increased ability for citizens to register for recreation classes by training 50 staff across the city to make it easy to register for recreation courses right at the facility
- Made it possible to book inspections through 3-1-1 with simply giving a permit number or address
- Made it possible for business customers and the trades industry to book appointments online (eAppointment)
To submit a suggestion to cut red tape, or learn more about the program, visit www.cutredtape.ca.
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BACKGROUNDER
In Phases One and Two of the Cut Red Tape initiative (www.cutredtape.ca), we asked City of Calgary employees and the Calgary business community, respectively, what red tape could be cut. We received hundreds of great suggestions and some changes are already being made (e.g. more online services, easier recreation registration, improving 3-1-1, etc). We are planning to implement as many cut red tape improvements as we can in the coming months.
Phase Three of the Cut Red Tape initiative asks all Calgarians to recommend ways to improve how The City of Calgary works with citizens.
Examples of improvements made through this initiative include:
3-1-1 Improvements
- Increased (and continue to increase) the number of online Service Requests from 40 to now over 100.
- Simplified various Service Requests to reduce the number of questions a caller is asked.
- Increased the number of Service Requests that don't require the caller’s name (unless needed).
- Improved status reporting specifically related to Roads requests.
- Created ability for citizens to book appointments with Development and Building Approvals.
- Created capability to book inspections through 3-1-1.
- Allowing trades and businesses to see the estimated fees prior to completing online applications.
- Enabled counter employees to provide customers with up to five free photocopies.
- Enabled 3-1-1 access to view trade permits online.
- Created trade show licenses have been changed from show-specific licences to venue-specific licences, shifting the ownership of adhering to planning and fire requirements on the venue instead of each individual trade show that comes to Calgary.
- Increased ability for citizens to register for recreation classes by training 50 staff across the city to complete the registration at the facility counter.
- Created three "how to..." videos for online customers.
- Installed kiosks in recreation centres so citizens can register for classes themselves.
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