ESQUIMALT – New Democrat MLA Darlene Rotchford says that emergency responders in Esquimalt and Colwood will be better equipped to provide services to people, thanks to new funding for improved 911 communication systems.

“Being able to connect to emergency services when you need to is critical for people’s health and safety,” said Darlene Rotchford, MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood. “This funding will help Esquimalt and Colwood improve their 911 services alongside changing technologies.”

In the region, the following municipalities received funding:

• Colwood, $100,000 for mobile computer aided dispatch (CAD), training, and mapping
• Esquimalt, $45,000 for purchase and install of computer aided dispatch (CAD), mapping, training, and testing

These upgrades and improvements will also help communities to prepare for the future implementation of Next Generation 911. This service will make the 911 system more accessible and allow callers to provide dispatchers with additional details about their emergency, including photos and videos.

This funding is part of a total investment of $150 million to help B.C. prepare for the transition to Next Generation 911. E-Comm, which handles 99% of B.C.’s 911 call volume, received $90 million for technological upgrades. The remaining $60 million was distributed to communities through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) to defray costs, such as staffing, training and quality assurance.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023PSSG0012-000245