City services

3-1-1/ServiceOttawa

Residents can access City of Ottawa services from any department through 3-1-1. Requests through 3-1-1 are entered directly into a work management system, allowing for more efficient and timely responses or action to the request.

A separate customer service line for property tax and water bills is also available by calling 613-580-2444.

By-law

Formally By-law and Regulatory Services, by-law is the City service which enforces Ottawa’s by-laws↗ like parking, noise, property standards and maintenance, animal control, and zoning, among others.

Per the Community Safety and Policing Act↗ (which replaced the Police Services Act in 2024), by-law officers in Ontario are deemed to be peace officers when enforcing local by-laws, meaning they have similar powers as police officers while doing their job.

Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library (OPL)↗ has over 1.8 million physical and digital items in a variety of formats. Seventy-two per cent of its collection are books, but they also lend musical instruments, telescopes, museum and park passes, and many other items for public use. The OPL also hosts several programmes and events at their branches across the city.

OPL cards are free for Ottawa residents, with fees↗ charged for consumable products (eg. print/copy paper, earbuds), to non-Ottawa residents, and for lost items.

Police

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS)↗ is the police force of jurisdiction in the City of Ottawa and collaborates with other law enforcement agencies operating in the city, including special constables, military police, the RCMP, the Parliamentary Protective Service, and the OPP.

Public health

Ottawa Public Health (OPH)↗ is the public health unit for the City of Ottawa and administers health programming such as communicable disease control, food premise inspection, and health education.

Public transit

OC Transpo↗ is a service of the City of Ottawa, providing conventional and door-to-door para transit services. It also operates and maintains park and rides, transit facilities and roadways, and bus stops across the city.

OC Transpo and Para Transpo↗ share a centralised customer service↗ phone line at 613-560-5000. Residents and customers may also reach out by webform↗, while Para Transpo customers may text 57272 for trip and service inquiries from 6:00 am to 12:30 am.

Recreation and parks

Hundreds of aquatic, sport and fitness, courses and camps, and other recreation activities at facilities in Barrhaven and across the City are managed and operated by Recreation, Culture, and Facilities Services.

The department also plans the City’s parks and amenities.

Septic office

The Ottawa Septic System Office↗ is the local regulator that enforces relevant rules and regulations, which in turn is administered by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority↗. Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code↗ speaks to septic systems approvals.

The regulations apply to communities in the ward without municipal sewage services, mainly Hearts Desire and Rideau Glen and some surrounding lots.