New Portal – Beta testing we need your help

Posted on January 18, 2021January 20, 2021 by Brandon Denton

If you can’t read this email, please view it online

New Web Portal

Ontario One Call is re-creating our Web Portal to improve the process of submitting Locate Requests! We want YOU to join us in testing this NEW and EXCITING development before it is released!

There are limited spaces available so register by February 5, 2021.

• Brand new EASY TO USE platform!
• Easy to understand questions and flow of information!
• Improved collection of address information and map!

BETA testing is a process in which external users visit a not-yet-released website or program, and perform tests on it by doing what they would normally do – in our case, submit locates! Then those users provide their feedback in a straightforward, pre-defined way to the program creators. This feedback allows the creators to make modifications and fix any ‘bugs’ that may appear.

It means that once this Web Portal is ready to be released it will be THAT much better for everyone!

• You have been waiting for an easier way to submit locates for years and would like to be part of the change!
• You enjoy being one of the first to get your hands on something new.
• You have a passion for the industry and you want to see change occur.
• You enjoy testing new products!

• Read the Terms and Expectations of Participation (Click HERE). To be eligible to participate you must meet the requirements set out in this document.

• Complete the Registration Form (Click HERE) after you have read the above Terms and Expectations.

January 18th, 2021 – Registration Opens

February 5th, 2021 – Registration Closes

February 12th, 2021 – All chosen participants notified

By February 22nd, 2021 – Training and testing packages sent to chosen participants

February 24th 2021 @2:00pm – Call to review training package/answer questions

March 1st, 2021 – TESTING BEGINS (Feedback forms due weekly until testing ends)

April 2nd,2021 – TESTING ENDS

* Dates are subject to change.

New Web Portal

Posted on January 13, 2021January 18, 2021 by Brandon Denton

If you can’t read this email, please view it online

Ontario One Call is re-creating our Web Portal to improve the process of submitting Locate Requests!

The expected implementation timeframe is end of 2021/early 2022.

Some changes to Ontario One Call’s system will affect the Notifications and Confirmations sent to stakeholders, in particular, changes to field names, and the addition of brand new fields. This may require technical changes in your system.

Members or Locators who parse any information from the Notification Form please see the examples of the new forms by clicking here. Note the email notifications with now be sent as HTML only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The new system is still in development and the listed modifications may change throughout the year.

Members must remain compatible with Ontario One Call’s systems to continue the timely receipt of locate requests.

Excavators or Locate Requestors who parse any information from the Confirmation Form please contact us at newwebportal@ON1Call.com

1. Brand new EASY TO USE platform!

New fields
Easy to understand questions
New and modern look

2. Different request options for different users

Single Address Request

i. A new simple form for requests regarding an excavation on a single civic parcel

Advanced Request

i. A new form for large requests with multiple civics or no civics

3. New fields on this form include:

• Permit Number
• Project Number
• Expected Date of project completion

4. Easy to submit Design and Planning Requests for Excavators

5. Changes to the Map Functionality

New method of searching for the location.
Quicker completion process

6. Removal of the FAX number from the Locate Request:

We will no longer be accepting or transmitting Fax numbers on locate requests.

Scheduled System Maintenance August 6th 2020

Posted on July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Attention Users
Scheduled System Maintenance

Beginning 8:00 PM (EST) Thursday, August, 6th, 2020 until 4:00 AM Friday, August, 7th, 2020; Ontario One Call will be performing maintenance on its information technology systems.

During this time we will only accept emergency locate requests via telephone and dispatch via a manual process.

The following services will not be available during the maintenance window.

Web Portal
Contractor Bridge
360 feedback (TCP/IP and Webservice)
Corporate Website
Maps on the web
Subscriptions on the web
Ontario One Calls Mailing list

Ontario One Call – Scheduled System Maintenance

Posted on May 28, 2020June 1, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Attention Users
Scheduled System Maintenance

Beginning 8:00 PM (EST) Thursday, August, 22nd, 2019 until 12:00 AM Friday, August, 23rd, 2019; Ontario One Call will be performing maintenance on its information technology systems.

During this time we will only accept emergency locate requests via telephone and dispatch via a manual process.

The following services will not be available during the maintenance window.

Web Portal
Contractor Bridge
360 feedback (TCP/IP and Webservice)
Corporate Website
Maps on the web
Subscriptions on the web
Ontario One Calls Mailing list

Telephone Issues – Alternative Numbers

Posted on March 21, 2020April 29, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Service providers nationwide are having connectivity issues, given the additional traffic on their systems.

If you are having trouble calling us for urgent/emergency requests on our toll-free number 1-800-400-2255 please try one of the local numbers 519-265-7612 OR 226-646-2591.

Please use our website for standard requests: http://OntarioOneCall.ca

Call for Nominations to the Ontario One Call Board of Directors

Posted on February 26, 2020November 16, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Call for Nominations to the Ontario One Call Board of Directors

Ontario One Call is charged with operating the regulatory regime established by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act 2012. It relies on qualified individuals to serve on the Board of Directors to guide the organization and to ensure it meets its obligations to members, excavators, and stakeholders.

ON1Call has the following categories of members: Municipal and Government, Electricity, Gas & Oil Pipeline, Telecommunications & Cable, and Other. The Other category consists of members who are not covered by the four previously named sectors. There are also two excavator representatives on the Board.

Applications are invited for qualified individuals to stand for nomination for the following vacant positions on the ON1Call Board of Directors for terms starting in June 2020:

Small Municipal Sector (less than 80,000 Residents): Term through June 2021, with an opportunity to stand for two subsequent three-year terms

Large Municipal Sector (greater than 300,000 Residents): Term through June 2022, with an opportunity to stand for two subsequent three-year terms

Other Sector Representative: Term through June 2022, with the opportunity to stand for two subsequent three-year terms

ELIGIBILITY:

To be eligible to stand for election, certain conditions must be met:

• The individual’s employer must be a member of ON1Call as of February 2020
• The employer must be supportive of the investment of time and interest that all ON1Call directors make, including attending five board meetings annually and participating in board committees and/or task forces.
• The person must have a combination of skills and experience that equip them to serve on the board.

PROCESS:

Qualified individuals are advised to contact ON1Call by March 31, 2020, by email. The email should:

Indicate their intention to stand for election.
State their reasons for being considered to be a director, including past board experience.
Include a CV and a letter of support from their organization
Be sent to the Governance and Nominations Committee, c/o Ben Hamilton at bhamilton@OntarioOneCall.ca

The Governance and Nominations committee will evaluate all applications and subsequently contact all applicants. The committee will either arrange a telephone interview or advise that it will not be proceeding with a particular application.

Thank you,

Ben Hamilton Executive Director, Ontario One Call

Late Locate Symposium

Posted on January 15, 2020November 16, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Late Locate Symposium

December 2nd – 4th, 2019 Ontario One Call organized and participated in a Late Locate Symposium to help the industry create solutions for the timely delivery of locates in the province of Ontario.

Purpose: The goal of the three-day intensive event was to develop solutions that would make a positive impact on the 2020 dig season.

Participants: Twenty-five industry leaders representing various stakeholder groups came together, including:

Utilities
Municipalities
Excavators
Locate Service Providers (LSPs)
Ontario One Call

Each participant was selected because of their ability to make substantial decisions within their own organization, and ability to influence others in the industry.

Process: Led by an independent facilitator, the industry leaders worked cross-functionally to look at the systemic issues and create viable solutions. As a result, five implementable solutions were developed.

Solutions: Here is a brief overview of the five solutions. Stakeholders within the industry should expect to see these strategies starting in 2020.

Dedicated Locator
Forecasting
Pressure Points
Compliance / Enforcement
Data In, Data Out

Dedicated Locator

Move major infrastructure projects to dedicated locator to relieve stress and free up the regular pool of locators
Utilities and Municipalities will be responsible for the dedicated locator on their own capital projects
Dedicated locator resources are additional, and will not come from the existing locator staff
In 2020, certain infrastructure types will put into this model with more to follow in the coming years

Forecasting

Develop a new forecasting model to give visibility into the resource demand that is required
Utilities, Municipalities, and LSPs will forecast workloads by collecting and distributing on-going details related to capital projects
LSPs are to show calculations to the Utilities and Municipalities based on the data
There will be ongoing check-ins to assess the success of forecasting
A pilot program will start in Ottawa early 2020

Pressure Points

Standardize the way locates are managed
Utilities and Municipalities to have 60-day locate validity periods
Utilities and Municipalities to have the same locate expiration date, based on the work to begin date
Develop proper guidelines to share locates with sub-contractors

Compliance / Enforcement

Alleviate confusion in the industry and mitigate the continual delivery of late locates
Provide greater communication about the rules, compliance process, and the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder
Look to implement a change to Member billing based on a performance-based billing model – late delivery of locates = higher share of Member billing cost

Data in, Data Out

Reduce over-notification, and eliminate other factors affecting LSP productivity
Create a checklist of LSP needs that an Excavator must fulfill for a locate request
Incorporate the finalized process into the curriculum of the Professional Locate Administrator Course (PLAC) being launched through Ontario One Call in 2020

If you would like to find out more about any of the above topics please reach out to: Training@OntarioOneCall.ca

Fax Shut Off

Posted on August 2, 2019November 16, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Attention Stakeholders
Fax Communications Shutoff

Effective February 1st, 2020 Ontario One Call will remove the option for any communications via fax.

What is changing?
Currently, Ontario One Call may communicate to Members for notifications of locate requests, and to Excavators for locate request confirmations, via fax. As of February 01st, 2020, Ontario One Call will no longer be sending any transmissions via fax. Anyone who currently receives communications via fax will need to change across to email communications or FTP (available for Member Notifications only).

Why change?
Fax is an aging and unreliable technology, only used by a small number of our Members and Excavators. Over the years, Ontario One Call has placed a great importance on improving the quality of the transmissions that we send. This includes the map selections that are now required for every request, which are transferred as a low quality via fax. If you have any questions please contact us respectively. Members, please reach out to our Member Service department. Excavators, please reach out to our Client Services department.

Web Portal Mapping Offline

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Brandon Denton

07/16/2019 10:38 AM – Dear users, the web portal mapping has been restored to full functionality.

07/16/2019 10:16 AM – Dear users, we are aware that the mapping section in the web portal is not working at this time. Our team is working to resolve this as soon as possible, until then you will not be able to complete your request online. Please check back frequently for updates.

Conference Call & Webinar for Ontario One Call Members

Posted on July 11, 2019March 17, 2020 by Brandon Denton

Ontario One Call

Conference Call & Webinar

Dear Ontario One Call Members,

In advance of our upcoming Annual General Meeting, Ontario One Call will be holding a conference call & webinar to explain proposed changes to our by-laws and fee schedule.

What: Conference Call & Webinar for Ontario One Call Members

When: Tuesday, June 11^th, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

How: Click here to join to webinar

and

for the audio portion dial 1-866-261-6767 and enter access code 5989559 #

If you are having trouble viewing the webinar, try clicking “switch to interactive” to download the meeting client.

At the AGM, members will vote on changes to the by-laws and a new fee schedule. Documents providing background on both those proposals have been distributed to the membership via email.

During this call, we will review the proposals and provide further details on upcoming plans and priorities. The call is primarily for the benefit of members, but non-members and stakeholders are also welcome to attend.

Regards,