TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: January 13, 2025 Report No. FIRE-25-001
TO: Council
FROM: Matt Furlot, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Next Generation 9-1-1
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council authorize the Mayor and Corporate Officer to execute the Local Government NG9-1-1 Agreement on behalf of the Township of Esquimalt as attached to Staff Report No. FIRE-25-001.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Government of Canada has required the transition from analog to the digital Next Generation 9-1-1 system nationwide by March 2025. To meet this deadline, the Capital Regional District (CRD) must establish bilateral agreements with regional municipalities by January 31, 2025, enabling the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) centres to finalize the necessary technical and operational preparations for compliance ahead of the transition.
BACKGROUND:
In 2017, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) introduced the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) networks to modernize emergency communications and improve public safety services for Canadians. NG9-1-1 will replace existing analog systems with advanced digital, internet protocol-based networks that enable enhanced capabilities, such as sharing videos, photos, and personal medical information with first responders. These innovations are designed to provide safer, faster, and more informed emergency responses, improving call processing times, situational awareness, and overall responder safety. The CRTC has set a March 2025 deadline for this transition.
In British Columbia, TELUS, the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) provider, is responsible for building and managing the NG9-1-1 network. To comply with CRTC requirements, TELUS requires all municipalities, including the Township of Esquimalt, to sign updated Local Governing Authority (LGA) Agreements. Esquimalt currently meets these requirements by using Surrey Dispatch services, which is an approved...
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