Province Announces $2.7M for NG9-1-1 Service in Brantford-Brant
NEWS December 13th, 2023
BRANTFORD – Today, Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma announced a comprehensive package of funding to the County of Brant Fire Department, City of Brantford Fire Department and Brantford Police Service to upgrade and modernize to the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) service in the community.
“The current 9-1-1 systems are built on old analog voice technology and aging physical infrastructure with limited capabilities”, said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. “Picture your mother’s old rotary phones…that is the current technology. We look forward to a world-class 9-1-1 system as our first responder partners implement the new, advanced digital networks”.
Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General has taken a leadership role in supporting municipalities and 9-1-1 communication centres to transition to a strong and effective NG 9-1-1 technology that keeps communities safe for years to come.
Specifically, the County of Brant Fire Department will receive $1,382,501.00, Brantford Police Service will receive $834,136.00 and the Brantford Fire Department will receive $481,111.00.
NG 9-1-1 will improve both the user and provider experience. Emergency operators, dispatchers and communicators are heroes of public safety, and putting modern 9-1-1 technology at their fingertips will allow for faster deployment of first responders and better protect the people of Ontario.
Features of NG9-1-1 such as the ability for 9-1-1 communication centres to identify the location of a call using device-based GPS coordinates and for users to text directly to 9-1-1 which will support rapid and effective emergency responses and address coroner inquest recommendations – specifically related to these abilities.
Ontario is committed to supporting the sector’s transition to NG9-1-1. The government is focused on information gathering and engagement with sector partners to inform the development and sustainability of a high quality 9-1-1 telecommunications framework.
The NG9-1-1 Transition Support Funding will help ensure current 9-1-1 communication centres transition to NG 9-1-1by the CRTC’s deadline of March 2025.
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For more information, contact MPP Will Bouma at 519-759-0361 or will.bouma@pc.ola.org