Frequently Asked Questions - Home - Ontario One …

1 Frequently Asked Questions Mandatory Fields and New Changes Implementation Date December 5th, 2016. New Project Work feature: Q. What is the Create Project feature and how do I use it instead of submitting a regular'. ticket? A. The Project Locate is defined as any or all of the following criteria; a request: that encompasses an area greater than one city block in an urban environment or 1000. meters in a rural setting that will take longer than 30 days' duration to complete water/sewer replacement, deep servicing, utility relocation where the same type of work is being requested in multiple geographical locations ( pole replacements, tree planting, stump removal, anode replacement, mailbox installations, etc.). Use this option if the work you are doing meets any or all of the criteria above. If your work does not meet any of the above criteria, submit a request through the Create ticket feature for a standard request.

2 There is no further difference between the two options. Tickets will be processed at the same priority by Ontario One Call, and locators must still abide by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act to ensure they are compliant with the locate request response times. Q. Will Ontario One Call's system automatically decide if my ticket is a project even if I don't choose the Create Project feature, and my ticket information reflects that? A. The Project feature is for use at the discretion of the excavator. Guidelines have been provided regarding the use of the Create Project' link, and should be followed. Ontario One Call's system will not change the ticket to a Project if the excavator does not select the Create Project' link when submitting their request on our web portal. Q. If I complete my locate request as a Project, does this mean the locate will take longer to be completed by the owner of infrastructure?

3 A. Members of Ontario One Call must make all reasonable attempts to complete locates within 5 business days of being notified about the excavation. Using the Project feature is not intended to change this in any way. Members or their locators will be able to apply their internal processes to help work through locate requests of greater scope in a timely fashion. These would be the locates you submitted as a Project. Q. If I use the Project feature, does this mean my locates will be valid for a longer period of time? A. The validity of your locate is determined by the owner of infrastructure directly. Check each individual set of paperwork you receive to identify the validity period of a particular locate. Q. Why do you want me to provide the estimated time of completion? A. Providing the estimated time of completion will let the locator know more about your excavation, and help them coordinate locates with you.

4 This is not intended to remove Members' obligation from completing locates in the time frames set out by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act. It may assist in reducing the number of relocates you have to put in. Always check your locate paperwork from the individual owners of infrastructure to know that you are working with valid locates and within the parameters they have set out. Q. Does Ontario One Call automatically create a relocate request after 30 days if I use the Project feature? A. No, Ontario One Call is not able to create a relocate without it being initiated by the excavator. Ontario One Call does not track all locate validity time frames, which vary between Members. Meaning, we are not always able to identify when the relocate would need to be activated. Additionally, we are not informed of whether an excavator has already completed their work (ahead of schedule, for example).

5 Therefore, we are unable to determine if a relocate would still be required. Satellite Image Map Selection: Q. Why is a map selection mandatory? A. Today, the map selection available within the Web Portal ticket is only used as a general reference. It is not always utilized by excavators. In 2017, Ontario One Call will be changing the way that owners of infrastructure (Members) receive information regarding an excavation (Notification). The mandatory map selection created by the excavator will work together with the written description provided within a request to create a notification. The goal of this change is to;. Obtain more accurate information Accurately reduce the number of the owners of infrastructure notified on a locate request, by decreasing the notification area through the map selection Reduce the waiting time for the completion of locates Ontario One Call is taking steps to ease users into utilizing this feature comfortably, therefore.

6 The map selection will be mandatory through the web portal on December 5, 2016. once the notification change is implemented in 2017, a map selection will be mandatory by web, phone (description of dig area to an agent by the excavator), and contractor bridge. Q. Can I create multiple selections on the satellite image, for example, can I add a bigger space as well as a line and attach them together? A. Yes, you are able to identify several different map selections on one attachment. In order to do so it must fit the following criteria: a. The selections must all be on or parallel to the dig street you identified in the Dig Location section b. The selections must all fall between the two cross streets you provided c. The selections must all be visible on the map before attaching Q. Do the selections I make on the map need to be exact? Click here for examples; see example 5.

7 A. The selections must be as accurate as possible. We don't expect that it will be within an inch of where you are digging, but the map has several options to help you find the location. a. A zoom and pan feature, b. A street view feature. You cannot draw in street view, but you can use it to identify where you need to dig, and zooming back out, you are more aware of the surroundings. In the future, Ontario One Call will introduce a measuring tool to help you identify the dig area. In late 2017, the map selection you provide will be used to determine which Members are notified of your excavation, therefore, the better the map selection you provide the better the results for who must complete locates. Creating a realistic and accurate selection may mean that a Member who does not have infrastructure where you are digging doesn't need to come locate, and the Members who do, have a good idea where you are digging and will locate the area quicker and more precisely.

8 Q. If I am putting in a fence, do I have to make my map selection of the whole property or can I just use the draw a line' tool to mark out where I am putting the fence? Click here for examples; see example 4. A. For a fence, or any work that can be identified by creating a line, you can use the Draw a Line feature. You can select the width around the line, in case you think it will be greater than 3 feet across. For other type of work where you are using the line tool, don't forget to mention the length of your excavation, this is helpful for Members and locators when completing your locate. Q. Are the maps updated? Sometimes I don't see the streets where I am working, and it's been a while since they have been there. A. Ontario One Call's internal maps, as well as the satellite image are updated regularly by our mapping partners. If you find issues with our system or the satellite image, report it to Q.

9 Why don't all locators receive sketches/map selection? A. This is a choice made by the Members, it may involve compatibility or procedural circumstances where a sketch or map selection is not easily used. If a Member does not receive these, but would like to, they may contact Q. How will the locator receive the map selection? A. The map selection is sent as an image attachment to the locator or Member. The image you attach saves as a screen capture, you may create multiple screen captures at different zoom levels for the same dig location, to best display where you are digging. Q. If I have multiple civic addresses or want to draw more than one map selection, do I have to create a new map for each one? Click here for examples; see example 1. A. You can create multiple selections on the same map, and attach only one map as long as what you are providing falls into the following criteria: a.

10 The selections must all be on or parallel to the dig street you identified in writing b. The selections must all fall between the two cross streets you provided c. The selections must all be visible on the map before attaching If your dig locations don't fall between the cross streets you provided or on the dig street you provided, you must create a new ticket. Q. We plant trees over the entire city, we are not given exact locations for these trees only home addresses and whether the tree is going in the blvd, lawn or side lot. Providing a dig map is not really possible how do you propose we go about doing this? Click here for examples; see example 5. A. The information you have given here is plenty to be able to create a map selection. a. Locate the address where the tree is being planted. b. Then mark out the area that would best describe where it is being planted on that property.