The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) will be upgrading 911 technology in the province, but it will come with a cost.
The upgades will help ensure residents have access to emergency services when needed. In order to fund these upgrades and maintain 911 services, however, the monthly Sask911 Fee will be doubling from $0.94 per month to $1.88 per month, effective April 7.
The provincial 911 system is funded through these fees, which are applied to all phone bills. The SPSA says fees have not been adjusted since January 2018.
“The citizens of Saskatchewan rely on 911 technology in order to receive police, fire and emergency medical assistance when they need it the most,” SPSA President Marlo Pritchard said in a press release. “The existing system is ageing, and these upgrades are required to ensure that Saskatchewan residents can continue to rely on secure, resilient 911 technology.”
In 2020, 911 received 470,000 calls by the three Sask911 Public Safety Answering Points in the province, which are located in Regina, Saskatoon, and at a centre just outside Prince Albert.
More information about the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/spsa.
