Wireless Emergency 911 Dispatch
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association request that the Government of Alberta pass legislation compelling wireless telephone service providers operating in Alberta to collect a monthly Wireless 911 – Call Answer Fee from its subscribers and remit those revenues to the municipalities operating 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).
WHEREAS Twenty Five Public Safety Answer Points (PSAPs) are operated by municipalities in Alberta for the purpose of receiving 911 calls for the vast majority of Alberta municipalities;
WHEREAS the Canada Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) - approved Tariff Item #203 provides for a Local Government Authority Call Answer Levy ($0.37 call) on wireline telephones to be collected by a service provider and remitted to the Local Government Authority to assist in funding Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs);
WHEREAS 911 calls originating from wireless (cellular phones and other electronic voice communications account for 60-75 per cent (or higher) of all 911 calls;
WHEREAS the revenues from Wireless Call Answer Fees could contribute at least $8.6 million annually to the funding of PSAPs in the Province of Alberta; and
WHEREAS six other provinces have introduced legislation requiring that wireless telephone service providers collect and remit 911 Call Answer Fees to support PSAPs.
Nov 22, 2011 - Service Alberta
Due to the nature of this matter, careful consideration will be required before the appropriate next steps can be determined. I have asked Mr. Dennis Mudryk, Executive Director of Shared Network Services and Service Alberta’s representative on a 911 Cross Ministry Working Group, to share the resolution with his colleagues in Municipal Affairs.
Nov 11, 2012 - Service Alberta
Municipal Affairs is coordinating a 911 Working Group and will respond to AUMA’s concerns.
Note: AUMA sent an outline of our concerns and requested change to the working group in fall 2012.
Nov 2012
The Minister of Municipal Affairs announced that the Province will charge cellphone users 911 emergency call fees.
AUMA accepts this response.