Windsor's 311 call centre is staying put.
City council has directed administration to keep the customer contact centre in-house, following a review of alternative service delivery options and submissions received through a procurement process.
311 is used by residents for non-emergency city information and service requests.
Last year, there were more than 135,000 calls.
Windsor, however, will transition away from 211 and that service will be delivered through the provincial network, rather than directly by the city.
Residents can contact 311 during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as online and mobile self-service options 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Ward 9 councillor Kieran McKenzie says this move makes sense.
"The 311 piece, specifically dealing with the services and programs that we provide through the City of Windsor, to me was critical that those remained with city workers, and that's what council has chosen to do, so I'm delighted about that."
He says conversations on expanding the 311 service are ongoing.
"By using the app, you can take a photo using your handheld device and be able to report something that needs to be dealt with. That will generate a response, whether it's email or direct phone contact through that process depending on what the issue is, so there have been service enhancements that we've been folding into the program to make it more accessible to residents, and certainly those conversations are going to remain ongoing."
McKenzie says this process started a couple of years ago, and it was a bit of a battle.
"If I'm being honest that was a bit of a battle, and a community conversation with respect to what would be the best way, the most efficient and fiscally responsible way to deliver that service. My view was it always had to remain in-house because you want human beings who work for the city responding to residents around the concerns that they're going to raise through the 311 channel."
Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens says the city will save $200,000 by ending the service delivery agreement with 211.
He adds that at the end of the day, no full-time employees will lose their jobs in the call centre because it is operated by unionized employees, who will go through a "bumping process".