The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has extended the deadline for implementing Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) across Canada, to March 31, 2027.
Although telecommunications service providers have completed their upgrading, provincial, territorial, and local government emergency service organizations informed the CRTC that they would not be able to make the necessary upgrades in time to meet the previously set deadline of March 4, 2025. Key stakeholders, including police, fire, and paramedic organizations, supported the extension request. The CRTC announced the deadline extension on February 28, noting that without it, Canadians in areas that have not yet transitioned to NG911 could lose access to 911 when existing networks are decommissioned. This would cause a risk to public safety.
The CRTC cautions that E911-served public safety answering points (PSAPs) that do not meet the 2027 deadline are responsible for making alternative arrangements, since only NG911 calls will be delivered from then on.
In a letter to regional district chairs, CAOs, and NG911 partners, E-Comm 911 clarified that the CRTC extension does not affect their own NG911 project timeframes, and they are still working toward site transitions and launch of NG911 by the end of 2025. Sticking to the existing project timelines will enable E-Comm to control project costs, ensuring that they do not exceed the existing provincial funding.
E-Comm notes, however, that the implementation of enhanced Real Time Text (RTT) capabilities on the new network will likely be delayed until after March 2027, as it will be challenging to introduce RTT prior to all 911 providers having transitioned to NG911.