What's happening in Canada? Renee Doiron, Manager Emergency Services Policy, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Canada

1. EMERGENCY CALL HANDLING SYSTEMS
AROUND THE WORLD
What’s happening in Canada?
European Emergency Number Association Conference
Ljubljana Slovenia
25 April, 2018

2. 2
The Canadian Landscape
• 35 million Canadians
over 10 provinces and 3
territories
• 9,984,670 km2, specific
geographical challenges
• 9-1-1 used throughout
Canada by 98% of the
population (96%
Enhanced, 2% Basic)
• Text with 9-1-1 deployed
and NG9-1-1 on the
horizon
USA
GREENLAND
(DENMARK)
USA

3. 3
Emergency Services in Canada
9-1-1 AuthorityOriginating Networks 9-1-1 Networks
CRTC jurisdiction (Carriers)
Provincial/Territorial jurisdiction

4. 4
Typical Emergency Call Handling System Model
• Basic data gathering by stage 1, resource dispatching by stage 2 (Model 3)
• Call taker classifies the call and makes a parallel dispatch of the call to EROs
• In some cases police, ERO specialists are available to support call takers
• Dispatch of the intervention resources done by EROs
911

5. 5
PSAPs in Canada
Province/ Territory Provincial Legislation PSAP
Governance
# of Stage 1
PSAPs*
# of Stage 2
PSAPs*
Approx. Population
/Stage 1 PSAP
Newfoundland & Labrador Emergency 911 Act Provincial 2 2 264k
Nova Scotia Emergency 911 Act Provincial 4 2 236k
New Brunswick Emergency 911 Act Provincial 6 2 126k
PEI Emergency 911 Act Provincial 1 3 146k
Quebec 911 civil protection act Municipal 30 41 274k
Ontario None Municipal 34 81 400k
Manitoba Emergency 911 PSAP Act Provincial 2 4 641k
Saskatchewan Emergency 911 System Act Provincial 3 13 377k
Alberta Emergency 911 Act Municipal 23 9 180k
British Columbia None Municipal 9 26 515k
Yukon None Provincial 1 2 37k
Northwest Territories Expected in 2019 Territorial 0 0 N/A
Nunavut None N/A 0 0 N/A
* Numbers are approximate as they are unpublished.

6. 6
Level of Emergency Service Integration
• Different models across the country
• Most take calls and dispatch for at least one ERO, some
transfer the call directly to another ERO
• Some share CAD data, some are combined facilities
• Variety of CAD systems, PSAP phone systems, logger/recording systems
• Calls within a province may be transferred quickly on the provincial platform
• Cross country or across provincial borders currently more difficult
• Caller and Location info data sharing is limited (can be shared by voice)
• Call overflow routing not currently used between most PSAPs

7. 7
Call Handling
• No federally mandated standards
• Each Agency/PSAP responsible for training which varies
• Most follow NENA standard
90% of all 9-1-1 calls arriving at the PSAP shall be answered within 10 seconds during the
busy hour (the hour each day with the greatest call volumes). 95% of all 9-1-1 calls should
be answered within 20 seconds.
• Fire follows National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards
7.4.2* With the exception of call types identified in 7.4.2.2, 80% of emergency call
processing and dispatching shall be completed within 60 seconds, and 95% if call
processing and dispatching shall be completed within 106 seconds.
7.4.2.2* Emergency alarm processing for the following call types shall be completed
within 90 seconds 90% of the time and within 120 seconds 99% of the time
• Ambulance uses structured protocols and standardized times
municipal and provincial standards:
45 seconds call coding/commit to CAD, 75 seconds to dispatch

8. 8
Caller Location
• Location information automatically pushed to PSAPs within 30 seconds
• In-call location updates available to all PSAPs (rebids)
• Federally mandated wireless location accuracy benchmarks (CRTC 2017-119)
• Exploring handset-based location technology (e.g.
z-axis, wi-fi, Bluetooth) within CRTC-sanctioned,
Industry-lead Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG)
UNCERTAINTY
(Radius)
<150m for
Rural /
Small
PSAPs
<150m for
Large
Metro
PSAPs
<1000m for
Rural /
Small
PSAPs
<1000m for
Large
Metro
PSAPs
Minimum threshold 50% of calls 50% of calls 65% of calls 75% of calls
Target threshold 65% of calls 65% of calls 80% of calls 90% of calls
Note: These benchmarks continue to be fine-tuned over time as location determination technologies evolve.
Minimum Yield Requirement = 95%, Confidence level = 90%
Estimated
lat/long
Actual
lat/long

9. 9
National Next-Generation 9-1-1 is Coming
• SIP-based services that will provide callers with new ways to access
emergency services from multiple devices and platforms.
• CRTC Telecommunications Regulatory Policy 2017-182:
– ILECs mandated to be NG9-1-1 network providers, funded by regulated tariffs
– Networks: Regional NG9-1-1 networks interconnected to form one national network
– PSAP matters: Provincial/territorial governments encouraged to address coordination,
funding, standards to assist PSAPs in transitioning
– Services: Voice and RTT-based Text Messaging first, other services, such as the delivery of
photos and video, expected to follow
– Privacy: carriers must ensure that all data transmitted through NG9-1-1 networks be used
for the sole purpose of responding to 9-1-1-related communications
– Public education: campaigns by PSAPs and local governments either through a national
coordination body or through ESWG in its absence
– Etc.

10. 10
Next-Generation 9-1-1 Roadmap
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
CRTC Decision
2017-182
ILECs completed
lab trials
ILECs complete
NG9-1-1 networks
All TSPs and PSAPs should be
NG9-1-1compliant before
this date
TSPsand PSAPs able to
start providing NG9-1-1
Voice to the public
WSPs able to support
NG9-1-1 Text
Messaging to the public
ILECs decommission legacy
9-1-1networks
PSAPs able to start
providing NG9-1-1 Text
Messaging to the public
**ESWG also being requested to provide the CRTC with recommendations on topics such as: trials, technical specs for RTT-based NG9-
1-1 Text Messaging; industry best practices and standards related to the reliability, resiliency, and security of NG9-1-1 networks; the
technical details of NG9-1-1 network interconnections, etc.
Ongoing ESWG activities to support the transition to NG9-1-1**
Implementation Trials

11. 11
Conclusion
• Next-generation 9-1-1 is now the focus, big policy issues now determined
• National 9-1-1 implementations coordinated through CRTC and ESWG
• Ongoing challenges:
– Jurisdictional challenges (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal)
– National coordination of PSAPs and emergency responders
– How will the Public Safety Broadband Network connect to NG9-1-1?
– Wireless location accuracy, especially within buildings
– Unsubscribed handsets
– 9-1-1 Multiline telephone systems calling
– Wifi calling

12. 12
Thank you
Questions?
Renée Doiron
Emergency Services Policy
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
renee.doiron@crtc.gc.ca
1+ (819) 997-2755

13. 13
Use of Social Media
• Not used for detection or reporting of emergencies
• Tool for many police and fire responders who use it to inform citizens of
ongoing emergency situations.
• Used across the country by Emergency Management Organizations to inform
citizens of upcoming/ongoing emergency situations or disasters

14. 14
Accessibility for people with disabilities
Wireline 9-1-1
• basic or enhanced
• fixed location
• cordless phones
potential issue during
power outages
• potential issues with
multiline systems (e.g.
PBXs)
Wireless 9-1-1
• basic or enhanced
• non-fixed location
• Basic: call connected to
PSAP based on nearest
cell tower
• Enhanced: call
connected to PSAP based
on nearest cell tower and
nearest location using
GPS and tower
triangulation
Voice over IP 9-1-1
Fixed
• usually fixed location
• providers must provide
basic 9-1-1 if enhanced
not available in the area.
Nomadic
• provided over the
internet
• basic only as no fixed
address to pinpoint
location
Text with 9-1-1
• currently only available
to deaf, hard of hearing,
speech impaired
Canadians
• implemented in most
PSAPs in Canada
• users must register
• must be a compatible
cellular device
9-1-1 Accessibility Services
• TTY (specialized teletype devices): Slow response times and not all PSAPs equipped to receive.
• IP relay: calls routed to relay centre, operator connects to appropriate PSAP based on location.
• Video relay service: sign language user connects to VRS operator who places voice call.

15. 15
SMS Service (Text with 9-1-1)
Source: www.textwith911.ca
• Service available to deafened, hard of hearing, speech impaired who much register for the service
• 9-1-1 voice call placed by flagged users in order for PSAP to receive caller location information. PSAP operator
then initiates text session with the caller
• Registered users as of February 2018: 4,069
• Most PSAPs currently offering T911. Remaining PSAPs expected to be up and running by end of 2018
• Relatively low volumes of actual T911 calls to date, as expected

16. 16
National Public Alerting
• Emergency alerts issued by federal, provincial and territorial governments
and emergency management officials
• Broadcast and radio alerts mandated by CRTC since 2014
• New wireless public alerting system as of 6 April 2018 (CRTC 2017-91)
– Standard adopted by Canada has been adopted by governments across the world including
the European Union, the United States of America, Israel, Chile and Japan
– Alerts sent to mobile devices connected to LTE networks, which are available to over 97%
of Canadians
– Canadians hear the same alert tone as they currently do while listening to the radio or
watching television. Alerts on mobile devices also trigger a unique vibration cadence when
an alert is issued, and will contain a bilingual banner
– More info on CRTC’s role: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/television/services/alert.htm
– More info on Canada’s national public alerting system: https://www.alertready.ca/