Earlier this year, UBCM was informed that the Province would not be tabling new 911 emergency communications legislation during the spring 2020 legislative session. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, UBCM was involved in reviewing the existing framework as part of a provincial steering committee.
The provincial steering committee had been examining three key components of the provincial system: the funding model, governance structure and standards. This included analyzing the feasibility and support for a call answer levy on cellular devices.
In October 2019, UBCM re-affirmed its support for enabling legislation to create a new 911 framework. UBCM’s support is based in part on the establishment of a governance entity to manage and distribute revenue generated through a call answer levy.
BC’s emergency communications framework must eventually meet new CRTC requirements and deadlines, including the decommissioning of legacy networks by December 2023. There are also a number of existing issues, including a lack of resiliency backup sites and gaps in service provision.
Updated timelines will be communicated when they become available.