Question 1

How do I report a problem?

Accepted Answer

Press the camera button, take a photo, and check the location pin. SolveOTTAWA writes a draft description for you, and you can change any of it. Press send. The whole thing takes about a minute.

Question 2

What can I report?

Accepted Answer

Potholes, broken streetlights, damaged sidewalks, graffiti, litter, fallen branches, broken park equipment, and most other problems on public property. If you can photograph it on a street, sidewalk, or park, report it.

Question 3

What should I not report here?

Accepted Answer

Emergencies. If someone is in danger, call 911. Gas leaks go to your gas company. Noise complaints, bylaw disputes, and problems on private property are handled better by calling the city directly.

Question 4

Do I need an account?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a free one, with your email or phone number. The account keeps your report connected to you, so you can find it later and hear what happened.

Question 5

Does it cost anything?

Accepted Answer

No. SolveOTTAWA is free for residents. There are no fees and no paid version.

Question 6

Can I report a problem for someone else?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many people report for a parent or a neighbour who is not comfortable online. File it from your own account and describe where the problem is.

Question 7

Do I have to be standing at the problem?

Accepted Answer

No. You can type the address or postal code and place the pin yourself. Reporting from your kitchen table works fine. A photo makes the report stronger if you have one.

Question 8

What happens to my report after I press send?

Accepted Answer

SolveOTTAWA emails it to City of Ottawa with your photo, the exact location, and a clear description. Where it applies, your ward councillor receives a copy too. The report also appears on the public map, so neighbours can see it is already reported.

Question 9

What is the reference number for?

Accepted Answer

It is your report’s ID on SolveOTTAWA, like SOT-1234. Keep it. Press Track at the top of any page and enter it to find your report, no sign-in needed. It is a SolveOTTAWA reference, not a city 311 case number. When the city assigns its own number, the report shows both.

Question 10

How do I check on my report?

Accepted Answer

Open the report’s page. It shows every step in plain view, from sent to fixed. The fastest way there is the Track button at the top of any page.

Question 11

How long does a fix take?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the problem. A pothole and a leaning tree go to different crews with different timelines. Your city does not publish repair timelines, so the report shows each update as it happens.

Question 12

Will I know when it is fixed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When the city marks your report complete, the report page shows it in green and asks you to confirm the fix. You also get an email.

Question 13

The city marked my report complete. What does that mean?

Accepted Answer

It means the city closed the file on its side. Often the work is done. Sometimes it is not. Your report page asks you: press “Confirm it’s fixed” if the problem is gone, or “Still broken” if it is not.

Question 14

What happens to faces or licence plates in my photo?

Accepted Answer

We blur them before the photo appears in public. A photo that needs a closer look stays hidden until a person has reviewed it.

Question 15

Is my name or address shown anywhere?

Accepted Answer

No. Public reports show the problem, its location, the photo, and an anonymous username. Your email, phone number, and home address are never shown to anyone.

Question 16

Who can see my report?

Accepted Answer

Anyone can see the problem itself on the public map, and the city receives it by email. Only the problem is public. You are not.

Question 17

Can I change or delete a report after sending it?

Accepted Answer

No. Sent reports stay as sent, because the city already has the email. If you need one corrected or removed, email hello@solvecanada.ca with the reference number and we will take care of it.

Question 18

The city closed my report but nothing was fixed. What now?

Accepted Answer

Open your report page and press “Still broken”. The report reopens and tells the city the work is not done. This button is the whole point of SolveOTTAWA: a closed file is not the same as a fixed problem.

Question 19

The problem was fixed, and now it is back.

Accepted Answer

Press “Back again” on your old report. That files a fresh report with the history attached, so the city can see the problem keeps returning. A repeat problem makes a stronger case than a new one.

Question 20

I cannot find my report on the map.

Accepted Answer

Photos under review stay hidden until a person approves them. If your report seems stuck, email hello@solvecanada.ca with the reference number and we will check.

Question 21

I made a mistake in my report.

Accepted Answer

Email hello@solvecanada.ca with the reference number and the correction. Sent reports are not editable, but we can set the record straight on our side.

Question 22

Where is my report?

Accepted Answer

Press Track at the top of the page.

Question 23

My report is outside your cities.

Accepted Answer

Right now SolveOTTAWA serves Toronto, Mississauga, Milton, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ottawa, and Peterborough. A report outside those cities has nowhere to go yet. If you want your city added, email hello@solvecanada.ca and tell us where you live. Asking helps us choose the next city.

Question 24

Nothing has happened for weeks.

Accepted Answer

Open the report page and see where it stands. Some fixes take a season, not a week, and the report stays open the whole time. If it looks forgotten, email hello@solvecanada.ca with the reference number and we will look at it together.

Question 25

What is SolveOTTAWA?

Accepted Answer

SolveOTTAWA exists because reporting a broken thing in your city should take a minute, not an afternoon. It is a free website: you photograph the problem, we send City of Ottawa a complete report, and you can watch what happens until it is fixed.

Question 26

Is this the city's website?

Accepted Answer

No. SolveOTTAWA is independent, built by a resident, and not affiliated with or endorsed by any municipality. It works alongside the city’s own 311, not against it. The city’s crews do the repairs, and they do the hard part.

Question 27

Who is behind this?

Accepted Answer

Ahmed Nadar, a Toronto resident who drove past the same pothole for a year and decided the reporting, not the crews, was the broken part. The full story is on the About page.

Question 28

Which cities does this work in?

Accepted Answer

SolveOTTAWA is part of Solve Canada, which currently serves Toronto, Mississauga, Milton, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ottawa, and Peterborough. Every city works the same way. More are coming.

Question 29

Is there an app to download?

Accepted Answer

No download needed. The website works on your phone, tablet, and computer. On a phone, you can add it to your home screen and it behaves like an app.

Question 30

How does the city receive my report?

Accepted Answer

By email, to City of Ottawa, through the same door any resident can use. The difference is that the report arrives complete: photo, exact location, category, and a clear description, ready to act on.

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