Next Generation 9-1-1 launches enhancing public safety

The City of Oshawa and Oshawa Fire Services (OFS) are pleased to announce that OFS has launched Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1). The NG9-1-1 network upgrades the existing 9-1-1 infrastructure to better meet the evolving demands of emergency communications and service delivery.

This new network makes calling 9-1-1 more reliable and efficient, helping emergency responders get the information they need more quickly. NG9-1-1 will also help OFS better manage natural disasters, and in future updates direct calls based on the caller's location. 

There is no change to how residents reach emergency services and those in need should continue to dial 9-1-1.

What makes NG9-1-1 better

The new network is designed to make emergency response faster, smarter, and more reliable. It offers great improvements when fully implemented, including:

• Faster connections: calls come through more quickly.
• Stronger, more reliable network: the upgraded network is built to handle high demand and keep working when it matters most.
• Quicker response: enhanced tools and coordination aim to assist with first responders getting where they need to be faster.
• Future-ready features: future capabilities will include real-time text, enhanced location accuracy, and smarter call routing, while dispatchers will also receive more accurate caller details such as precise location helping gain a clearer view of emergencies and send help faster.

The launch of NG9-1-1 follows the 2024 consolidation of dispatch services with Ajax and Pickering Fire Services, which expanded OFS dispatch/alerting operations to cover all of Durham Region. 

The transition to NG9-1-1 is in line with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) mandate requiring all emergency services to transition to the new network by March 31, 2027. 

The Ontario government has provided over $6.7 million since 2022 to support Oshawa Fire Service’s transition to NG9-1-1.

Learn more about how NG9-1-1 is creating the foundation for future innovation, improving information sharing, and supporting the next era of public safety across Canada by viewing The Future of Emergency Communications: Next Generation 9-1-1 in Canada, presented by NENA Ontario.

 Quotes:

“Upgrading Ontario’s public safety communications will be a game changer,” said Hon. Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario. “Next Generation 9-1-1 gives first responders real-time, life-saving information which means a faster, more effective emergency response. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government will always have the backs of those who protect our province. That’s why we are proud to provide funding for this new technology which will mean more calls will be answered, more lives will be saved and people across Oshawa can count on emergency services when it matters most.”

"We are grateful to have Next Generation 9-1-1 available in the great City of Oshawa and Durham Region. It represents a major step forward in strengthening public safety in our community,” said Mayor Dan Carter. “Advancing the way emergency calls come in and are managed will deliver quicker, more dependable assistance when every second counts.”

“NG-911 gives our dispatchers and first responders the tools they need to act quickly and with greater situational awareness,” said Oshawa Fire Chief Stephen Barkwell. “The ability to receive accurate location data will help us respond more effectively and keep the people of Oshawa and Durham Region safer.”