A person uses a cellphone in Ottawa on Monday, July 18, 2022.
The UBCM is asking the province to set up a funding structure for NG911 that would add a small fee to each cellphone user’s monthly bill, called a call-answer levy. The organization is also asking for a fourth emergency service to be added to 911 calls – mental health services, in addition to police, fire and ambulance.Craig Hodge, councillor with the City of Coquitlam and chair of the community safety committee with UBCM, said a call-answer levy would range from $1 to $1.75 per user per month.
“We want to move mental health calls away from police response and one of the best ways to do that is to split them off right at the start when the call first comes in,” he said.Jeff Smith, managing consultant of regulatory affairs with Telus, said Telus has gotten 10 out of 25 regional districts in B.C. to sign updated contracts, which allows Telus to deliver NG911 services.
On Thursday a representative for the ministry said all local governments had been contacted and told how they could access the funding and what they could use it for. Around $36 million has been allocated this way, with the rest held back to pay for future or unforeseen expenses, they said.