New 911 system set to roll out across British Columbia

The RCMP in B.C. will begin switching to Next Generation 9-1-1 on Oct. 26 as part of a phased rollout led by E-Comm 9-1-1.

The federally mandated transition replaces decades-old infrastructure with a digital system intended to support faster emergency communications and give first responders more information.

Callers will continue to reach an E-Comm 9-1-1 call taker, who will direct their call to police or the appropriate emergency response agency. The only immediate change for the public will be a new E-Comm automated callback system for calls that are quickly disconnected or abandoned.

RCMP operational communication centres in B.C. will switch to the new system in stages:

Oct. 26, 2026

• BC RCMP headquarters in Surrey: Provides call-taking and dispatch services for the Upper Fraser Valley and Mission.
• RCMP Island District in Courtenay: Provides secondary public safety answering point services to about 20 communities and air, marine and traffic units across Vancouver Island.

Oct. 29, 2026

• RCMP North District in Prince George: Serves about 40 communities across northern B.C., from Haida Gwaii to the Alberta border and from 100 Mile House to the Yukon border.
• RCMP Southeast District in Kelowna: Serves about 45 communities in southeastern B.C., along with 10 Highway Patrol units, two Air Sections and BC Conservation.

Nov. 3, 2026

• Coquitlam RCMP Detachment
• Langley RCMP Detachment

Future features are expected to include real-time texting with 9-1-1, streaming video and more accurate location information for first responders. Those features are part of a second phase and are not expected to be available for several years.

“Modernizing our tools and technology is one of the RCMP’s key organizational priorities,” said Supt. Raina Siou, officer in charge of the BC RCMP’s Operational Communication Centres Program.

“This update to our 9-1-1 systems to support our officers and employees in a constantly evolving policing environment will ensure we keep pace with the demands of modern policing and allow for faster and more efficient response to emergencies.”

“The transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 is a critical step in modernizing how emergency calls are received and managed in British Columbia,” said Nancy Blair,  interim president and CEO, E-Comm.

“This work strengthens the reliability of our 9-1-1 system today, while laying the groundwork for future technologies that will better support both the public and first responders.”

The provincial government announced $150 million in 2023 to support the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 in B.C. E-Comm’s rollout is part of a national transition, with other public safety agencies across Canada also switching to the technology.

More information is available on the BC RCMP’s Next Generation 9-1-1 webpage.