Ontario puts $78M into infrastructure, tech to support Next Generation 9-1-1

Ontario is investing $78 million in telecommunications infrastructure to help municipalities and emergency response centres transition to a new emergency communications system known as Next Generation 9-1-1. The funding is part of the government’s $208 million investment to help emergency operators and dispatchers save more lives by transitioning to the enhanced Next Generation 9-1-1.

To successfully transition to the Next Generation 9-1-1 system, significant technology and infrastructure upgrades are required. These upgrades include new telephony systems, call handling systems, internal network infrastructure and cyber security infrastructure.

Once implemented, Next Generation 9-1-1 will enable voice, text messages and data to flow seamlessly from the public to 9-1-1 communications centres when emergency assistance is required. It will also give emergency operators and dispatchers the ability to identify the location of a call using GPS co-ordinates, resulting in a safer, faster, and more informed emergency response.

Emergency communications centres across the province have until March 4, 2025, to transition their networks from analog to digital as mandated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Find the full list of funding recipients here.