TORONTO (CONVERSEER) – The Toronto Police Service is proud to announce the successful deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), marking a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing public safety and emergency response services.
NG9-1-1 represents a multi-stage transformative upgrade to the traditional 9-1-1 system. While the process for callers to connect with a 9-1-1 operator remains the same, the new system offers several enhancements to reduce wait times and ensure the system remains secure, including:
- a new automatic text-back feature that may save call takers an estimated 30 hours per day.
- quickly providing emergency operators with more accurate data to help determine the caller’s location and phone number.
- increasing reliability and cyber security, which are key elements of the new system.
- providing more backup capabilities should a failure within the system occur.
- in the future, supporting new features such as Real-Time Text and live emergency video calls.
“The Toronto Police Service’s communications centre is the largest and busiest in Canada, receiving nearly 2 million calls each year. Next Generation 9-1-1 will enhance all aspects of public safety communications and help our call-takers work faster and more efficiently so we can better serve the public,” said Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw. “I appreciate all our members in Communications Services, Information Technology and across the Service who worked tirelessly to get us to this important milestone. The Toronto Police Service welcomes this modernization journey that will make emergency responses faster, safer and more informed.”
In addition, an automatic text back feature is in operation for all misdial calls into 9-1-1 from a wireless device when the call is disconnected before connecting with a call-taker. The new technology will recognize when a call is dropped, remove it from the 9-1-1 queue, and place a text to confirm if someone is having an emergency. Previously, a call-taker was required to manually call back to ensure the person was safe. Removing the hang-up calls from the 9-1-1 queue means that people on the line with a true emergency can get through to an operator faster.
In 2024, 27 per cent of TPS call volume was from pocket dials and misdials into 9-1-1.
“Upgrading Ontario’s public safety communications will be a game changer – Next Generation 9-1-1 gives first responders real-time, life-saving information which means a faster, more effective emergency response,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “Our government is proud to have provided funding to help advance technology in Toronto to support this transition. This means more calls will be answered, more lives will be saved, and people across the city can count on emergency services when it matters most.”
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The Ontario government has provided over $5 million since 2022 to support TPS’ transition to NG9-1-1.
“Ensuring that 9-1-1 services are fast, reliable, and accessible is essential to keeping Torontonians safe. The successful transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 is a major step forward in modernizing our emergency response system, and I commend the Toronto Police Service for their leadership in this important upgrade,” said Toronto Police Service Board Chair, Councillor Shelley Carroll. “By reducing wait times and improving call accuracy, this system will help ensure that people in crisis get the help they need when they need it most. The automatic text back feature for misdialed 9-1-1 calls is crucial in advancing our efforts to enhance public safety. This transformative upgrade will reduce the burden on call-takers, ultimately improving response times – a goal that’s important to all Torontonians in an emergency.”
This system upgrade was carried out in collaboration with Bell, the official network provider, which offered technical support throughout the integration.
“On behalf of Bell, I would like to congratulate the Toronto Police Service on its successful transition to Next-Generation 9-1-1. The collaboration between Bell and TPS demonstrates our mutual commitment to public safety and innovation for service improvement. TPS’ successful move to NG9-1-1 enables the largest Public Safety Answering Point in Canada to quickly adapt to the modern needs of Canadians requiring 9-1-1 assistance,” said Wes Vurma, Vice President, Network Experience, Bell.
TPS operates Canada’s largest and busiest communications centre, which receives nearly 2 million calls annually. We are dedicated to providing timely and effective emergency response services to the residents and visitors of Toronto. Our highly trained team of dispatchers and state-of-the-art technology ensure that we are always ready to assist those in need.
These changes will not affect the public by how they make or experience 9-1-1 calls. Please dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.
Watch the video on the NG9-1-1 changes below
