New ‘game changer’ 9-1-1 dispatch system now online in Oshawa and Durham Region

Two years ago 9-1-1 dispatch services across Durham were consolidated in Oshawa in preparation for the launch of the Next Generation emergency system, with the merger needed because the new system was far bigger than any single municipality required.

The fire dispatch consolidations have led to greater efficiencies, cost reductions and improvements in public safety, as well as enhanced collaboration and communication between local fire and other emergency services.

Now, with the launch of the new NG 9-1-1 system and a cutting-edge and secure centre of excellence for 9-1-1 dispatch operations, emergency response in the region is more reliable and efficient, helping emergency responders get the information they need quicker, said Oshawa Fire Chief Stephen Barkwell.

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

NG9-1-1 will also help emergency personnel better manage natural disasters, and in future updates direct calls based on the caller’s location, he added.

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, whose government provided $6.7 million over the past four years to get the new system up and running in Durham, called NG-911 a “game changer.”

“Next Generation 9-1-1 gives first responders real-time, life-saving information which means a faster, more effective emergency response,” Kerzner said. “This new technology 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.”

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 dispatch/alerting operations to cover all of Durham Region.

The transition to NG9-1-1 is also in line with the CRTC mandate requiring all emergency services to transition to the new network by March 31, 2027.

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter said the new system represents a “major step” in strengthening public safety in the community. “Advancing the way emergency calls come in and are managed will deliver quicker, more dependable assistance when every second counts.”

There is no change in how the public contacts 9-1-1 – voice calling is still the only way to reach 9-1-1 – but the new network is designed to support additional capabilities in the future, including real-time text communication with emergency services and more precise call routing and location information.

These features will be introduced in future phases.

“NG9-1-1 represents an important advancement in how we deliver emergency services to our community,” said Durham Regional Chief Peter Moreira. “This technology strengthens our ability to respond quickly and effectively, while ensuring we continue to meet the evolving needs of the public.”

Oshawa Fire Services began handling dispatch services for all of Durham in 2024, a process that began two years earlier and culminated when the Ajax and Pickering fire departments agreed to consolidate dispatch and alerting operations.

The merger allowed Oshawa to serve as the sole municipality dispatching and alerting for Durham’s five fire services.

The streamlined system had its origins in 2022 when the CRTC mandated new standards for dispatch computer systems by March 2025, requiring Oshawa to commit $2.245 million in the 2023 budget for the new Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) – the new, modern system replacing the old 9-1-1 system.

The new system is far bigger than Oshawa or Ajax required, prompting the Town of Ajax to contact Oshawa to see if the two municipalities could work something out.

With operating costs split between the municipalities (with the three mostly rural townships counting as one for cost purposes), the new partnership is expected to save Oshawa as much as 28 per cent, with costs being split six ways instead of four.

And because the Town of Ajax would no longer have to shell out for the new dispatch system, it would save the money on that end as well.

The new NG 9-1-1 system will enable new methods of communication such as text, photos and video, allowing residents to stream videos from an emergency incident, send photos of accidents, a fleeing suspect, or send personal medical information, including accessibility needs, which will aid in reducing response time for emergency personnel.

The potential consolidation would provide a coordinated fire dispatch response which would also allow better co-ordination and quicker responses for major incidents and natural disasters and improve co-ordination of firefighting in border areas.

The NG9-1-1 network upgrade was implemented in partnership with Bell, Avaya, Netagen and Komutel, who supported the design and integration of the system.

To learn more about NG9-1-1, visit The Future of Emergency Communications: Next Generation 9-1-1 in Canada.