WHEREAS during a catastrophic event such as a tsunami, earthquake, or police emergency, communication with emergency response organizations is critically important to public safety; AND WHEREAS disruptions in land line telephone and internet services will cut many remote rural and coastal communities off from emergency response management systems: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the provincial government to ensure the necessary cell phone infrastructure is in place in order to provide timely emergency response if land line telephone transmission is disrupted.
Ministry of Citizens Services Open Government The Province recognizes that cellular phone infrastructure is a vital part of emergency response. This is the first resolution calling for government to ensure the availability and function of cellular service during emergencies; however, there have been many endorsed resolutions in the past asking for expanded cellular coverage. Government remains committed to working with TELUS and other cellular service providers to expand coverage across BC. As part of the 10 year strategic telecommunications contract signed in 2011 with TELUS, there will be over 1,700 kilometres of new cellular coverage along unconnected highway segments by 2016 a vital step forward for public safety. As of August 2013, 698 km of the over 1,700 km of planned new highway cellular coverage has been installed through the Connecting British Columbia Agreement with TELUS. The rollout of cellular services has a very aggressive build schedule given the geographic topography and the lengthy land access and permitting processes. The federal government regulates the telecommunications industry. Government continuously advocates for federal policies that benefit all BC citizens fairly and does its best to represent the interests of rural British Columbians to the federal government. Other projects that are expanding communication infrastructure also include emergency communications components to ensure a robust emergency communications system in case of an emergency event.