Guelph police move to Next Generation 9-1-1 system aimed at faster emergency response

Ontario’s 911 system is getting a major upgrade. CTV’s Hannah Schmidt hears from Guelph Police about the changes.

The Guelph Police Service has upgraded its 911 communications system to a new, high-tech platform that officials say will help operators locate callers faster and dispatch help more efficiently.

Callers won’t notice a big change, but it does offer technological improvements.

The system, called Next Generation 911 or NG9-1-1, has already been set up in 25 communities across Canada, including Toronto, as part of a province-wide modernization effort designed to improve accuracy, speed and accessibility in emergencies.

“We first started working on our transition to NG9-1-1 back in 2021,” said Insp. David Doxey with the Guelph Police Service. “We will receive not only enhanced caller information, but also location information that will allow our officers to respond to that need for assistance in far greater efficiency and effectiveness.”

The Ontario government first announced the NG9-1-1 initiative in 2022, committing $208 million over three years to support the transition at emergency communications centres across the province. An additional $22 million was added for the 2025–26 fiscal year to help municipalities complete the rollout.

One big benefit of the system is that operators will have faster and more accurate caller information, as well as enhanced reliability and cybersecurity. The system also has expanded backup capabilities in the event of a technical failure.

“We collect all kinds of data with regards to our answer times, the number of 9 11 calls, how long they wait before we get to answer them. So, we’re able to measure where we’re doing good and where we can improve,” Doxey said.

Unlike the previous system, NG9-1-1 can support real-time text messaging and live emergency video calls.

“Individuals who perhaps might need medical treatment, the ability to transmit real-time text or to audio or video their messaging - it just offers them an enhancement that they don’t already have,” Doxey said.

911 operators in Guelph have been using the new system for close to a month and said it’s been a welcome change.

“I would say this is the next evolution of the steps we’ve been taking to kind of advance the development of our service for our community in one of Ontario’s fastest growing cities,” said Chief Gord Cobey.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) also transitioned to the new system last month.

“NG9-1-1 represents more than just a project,” said WRPS Chief Mark Crowell in a media release in September. “It signifies a multi-phase modernization of an entire industry, one that has effectively operated for more than 30 years. This advancement ensures that we continue to evolve with the needs of the community while strengthening our ability to keep residents safe.”

Guelph’s 911 communications centre answered more than 125,000 calls in 2024, including over 40,000 emergency calls and 80,000 non-emergency calls. Waterloo Regional Police said they received 366,905 calls for service last year.

Police said the new technology could make a noticeable difference in how quickly they’re able to respond.

“If I had a crystal ball, I would forecast this to enhance the service that we are able to provide to the community,” Doxey said. “It’s an opportunity for us to improve upon the already high-level community safety service that we provide to the community.”

The Ontario government provided funding for the switch. Since 2022, Waterloo Regional Police received $3.8 million and Guelph Police got $2 million for the transition.

NG9-1-1 was made possible through the system supplier, Solacom, as well as integration support from Bell, the official network provider. Bell is also the parent company of CTV News.