THUNDER BAY — An order from the federal telecommunications regulator that 911 service be expanded to more contact platforms with new capabilities leaves the City of Thunder Bay facing some looming deadlines for implementation.
City Hall is still calculating the costs and how to recover them.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has set targets for launching Next Generation 911 across the country, with stage one happening by the end of next year.
"The CRTC is requiring municipalities who deliver 911 services to be able to adapt and accept 911 requests for assistance through different platforms," says City Manager Norm Gale.
In the first stage of the rollout, by June 2020 voice-capable data networks must be in place.
"That's jargon," Gale said Tuesday, clarifying that it will allow for voice, texting and data communication between a caller and the city's 911 answering station.
In the next stage, by the end of 2020, staff at the 911 station must be able to see real-time text messages.
"Someone can text 911, and as they're typing, the operators get it in real time. They see the message as it's being typed, along with where it's coming from," Gale said in an interview with Tbnewswatch.
"Then, add in the prospect of video or pictures. Someone can take a selfie of himself lying on the floor, or a picture of a crime scene. That could be sent in."
The final step in the rollout requires that by 2023, the service must be able to accommodate 911 calls submitted through other platforms including social media options such as Facebook or Instagram.
Noting the growing role of social media, and its potential usefulness in accessing emergency services, Gale said "This is impactful on saving lives and impacting on the quality of life. This is a real issue that does matter, and we will have it soon."
However, expanding 911's options carries a price tag that includes both modest capital costs and substantial operating costs.
Gale said it will cost $120,000 for new infrastructure and a significantly higher sum to pay for additional staff. "We'll need more people for this...we're estimating the cost will be about $400,000 a year."
It's not completely clear yet how those expenses will be covered.
Under current legislation In Ontario, 911 operations centres are funded out of the municipal property tax base.
"The City of Thunder Bay has to find this money...we cannot levy the fees against Bell, Telus or Tbaytel," Gale said.
That doesn't mean, however, that the city can't ask Tbaytel to help it collect a fee.
"We don't need the law changed. That can be done, but there's a whole bunch of 'buts' to that," he said, while declining to elaborate.
In the absence of attaching a new fee to phone bills, Gale said "you will see changes to how we levy property taxes, unless we stop funding something else. People are going to pay. It's just how they are going to pay."
He said monthly 911 levies in other provinces range between 40 and 75 cents a month, with most telecommunications providers taking about seven cents to cover their billing and collection costs.
Tbaytel is part of a working group assigned to the Next Gen 911 project that's working through the practical requirements and the financial aspects.
“We continue to discuss with Tbaytel the implications of adding a fee, but no determinations have been made at this time; I have made no recommendations and neither the Intergovernmental Affairs committee nor Council have deliberated on the matter," Gale stated.
A Tbaytel spokesperson said the overall cost model and the financial responsibilities of each party have not yet been finalized by the CRTC.
In a statement to Tbnewswatch, the spokesperson said the company is not aware if costs have been determined, so it can't comment on whether a fee will be added to customer bills.
