WHEREAS the significant rise in cell phone use has resulted in a rise in the number of misdialled or accidental calls to 911; AND WHEREAS these so-called pocket dials are a significant drain on resources, both from a 911 call centre standpoint, and also in terms of police operational resources, to determine if the caller is in danger: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that: - the federal government require that the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association CWTA who represents cellular and satellite carriers and companies that produce cellular productsservices impose better safeguards against inadvertent or unintended 911 calls; - the federal government require that Telus, Rogers, Bell and any other cellular service providers take a more active role in public education around accidental 911 calls by messaging their clients with this information and the limitations mobile devices have in terms of location information provided to 911; - the provincial government give consideration to establishing an awareness campaign providing the public information on how to prevent accidental calls to 911 as has been done in the Province of Ontario; and - the Federation of Canadian Municipalities be requested to also lobby for these changes.
Ministry of Justice The Ministry of Justice is aware of concerns regarding accidental or pocket calls to 911. BC, in collaboration with Alberta and Public Safety Canada, has recently surveyed the operational communications centres of municipal police and RCMP regarding issues with 911 calls from mobile phones, including pocket calls, and their impacts on public safety and the delivery of police services. Using this provincial data, Public Safety Canada is now preparing a report that will be brought forward to the national forum Assistant Deputy Ministers of Policing Issues ADM-PI for review. It is anticipated the ADM-PI will make a submission to the Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission recommending better safeguards against inadvertent or unintended 911 calls. Ministry staff will review the Ontario awareness campaign for consideration of a similar approach in BC.