Is upcoming 911 service being adequately funded in N.W.T.?

Some Northwest Territories MLAs are worried the territorial government isn't providing enough money to fund all the elements they say need to be in place for 911 services to run smoothly next year.

Last week, MLAs from the Standing Committee on Government Operations told the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs they wanted to see community maps updated, as many communities still don't have house numbers or street signs. They expressed concern this could cause confusion with dispatchers.

Minister Caroline Cochrane said at the time the government isn't providing funding for that work. Instead, she said communities can pay for it themselves.

"My concern now is that, although the government may be able to complete its work and roll out [its] operational model, it's the other pieces that are required to support that model," said Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart, who chairs the standing committee.

He cited street signs, house numbers and improving telecommunications infrastructure on highways with no cell service as some of those missing pieces.

"Those kind of challenges require some financial resources that are currently not allocated," said Testart.

911 shouldn't burden communities: MLA

R.J. Simpson, the MLA for Hay River North, agrees more money may be needed for the implementation phase of 911.

Monthly user fees of $1.35 to $1.77 charged on landlines and cell phones are expected to cover the cost of running the emergency service once it goes live.

But Simpson said that won't pay to put signs or other infrastructure in place before the service is operational.

He stressed that the costs of implementing 911 shouldn't be a burden on communities.

"We need to look at implementing this across the board and so it's fair for everybody, and part of that is ensuring that we have street names and that type of stuff," said Simpson.

"[The government] can't just pay for implementing part of it. We need to pay for implementing the entire thing."

He said he also wants to see what these additional details would cost.

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The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is expected to roll out its implementation plan for 911 in the coming weeks.

But the plan isn't expected to outline the cost of the additional items MLAs would like to see, according to Kevin Brezinski, director of public safety for the department.

"We're not going to identify a separate line item … for signage," said Brezinski. "It's almost impossible to quantify."

However, the government is assisting communities that don't already have addresses and signs to develop them, he said, although it isn't mandatory that they do so.

Brezinski added nearly $30 million goes to communities every year for public infrastructure and maintenance, which communities can use to purchase signs or other elements that would help with 911.

"This is really very much a community decision," he said.

• Hold, please: Lack of money pauses plans for 911 service in N.W.T.
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Simpson said the government may be able to find money within the department's existing budget, without dipping into what's going to communities.

If that doesn't suffice, the MLAs said they're willing to push for a bill to provide more funding for 911.

"The key is to roll out 911 in a way that everyone can use the service," said Testart. "We need to provide the financial resources to do that."

The N.W.T. is expected to get 911 services in the summer of 2019.