SPSA, SaskTel Take First Step Toward New 9 1 1 Services

August 6, 2024

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and SaskTel have built the foundation for the next generation of 9-1-1 services. Saskatchewan is the first province to move all primary 9-1-1 communication centres to the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) environment.

"This is the first step of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar project that will pave the way for deploying new technology and modernizing the province's emergency response system," said Paul Merriman, Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. "This project will dramatically enhance public safety in Saskatchewan."

Once the project is complete, Saskatchewan's Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) will offer multiple ways for the public to communicate with 9-1-1. These enhanced features will provide emergency services with more informed and safer responses.

"The implementation of the NG9-1-1 ecosystem represents an important leap forward for Saskatchewan's emergency communication systems," said Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. "By leveraging advanced digital technologies, this new environment will ensure that every call for help is met with the quickest and most effective response possible."

This new technology is the foundation to enable PSAPs to expand their capabilities in the coming years. In the future, the public will be able to share text messages, video and photos through the 9-1-1 system. These capabilities are not available until future years.

Funding for the project is being provided through the 9-1-1 service fee.

The SPSA and SaskTel will continue to work with secondary PSAPs in the province to ensure their technology is upgraded by the end of March 2025.

More information on the Next-Gen 9-1-1 project can be found at saskpublicsafety.ca.