211 online information service now covers greater Montreal

Montrealers looking for neighbourhood social and community resources now have a one-stop shop online.

The Centre de référence du Grand Montréal on Tuesday launched 211 Grand Montréal — 211qc.ca — to provide information to the four million people living in the 82 municipalities that make up the greater Montreal area.

The 211 service had already been available to residents of Montreal, Laval, L’Assomption and Thèrésede-Blainville.

The site offers resources related to immigration, advocacy, sex and gender issues, Aboriginal peoples, seniors, homelessness, disabilities, employment and more.

A 211 telephone service is expected to be up and running in April. It will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The service is already established in most major Canadian cities and several provinces. As early as 2001, InformCanada — a coalition of information centres and national news — was authorized by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to reserve the 211 telephone number for community service centres, information and reference.

“Montreal is proud to offer the public a service that helps combat poverty and social isolation by enabling people to be quickly informed about available resources,” the centre said in a statement.