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BY EMAIL

The Honourable Lorne Kusugak
Minister of Community and Government Services
P.O. Box 1200
Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0
LKusugak@gov.nu.ca

Re: Appointment of an Inquiry Officer to review matters related to 9-1-1, Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-686, 17 December 2012

Dear Honorable Kusugak:

I need your help. As you may be aware, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) launched an inquiry into the state of 9-1-1 services in Canada in December 2012. It appointed me as Inquiry Officer to conduct research on 9-1-1 services in Canada and report my findings to the Commission. It is intended that the report be published thereafter.

9-1-1 emergency service has become one of the most important points of intersection between the citizen and governments. The principal front-line responders to 9-1-1 emergencies are within provincial jurisdiction: police, fire, ambulance, and the public safety answering points (PSAPs). The telecommunications carriers are within federal, CRTC, jurisdiction.

There are things which provinces may know that could help create a portrait of 9-1-1 services across Canada, and which will provide provinces with useful information.

The Commission issued a call for comments in Telecom Notice of Consultation 2012 686. Included in the Notice were a series of questions specifying information that
is relevant to my inquiry. Of particular interest is the current funding model used to support the current 9 1 1 system. We asked:
• what parties apply charges or collect fees, by what means, and in what amounts;
• what parties receive funds, by what means, and in what amounts; and
• the cost to provide/maintain the current 9-1-1 network infrastructure and public safety answering points (PSAPs).

While I have received information from a number of telecommunications service providers, some of which highlights charges that are levied on behalf of some municipalities and or provinces, I do not have a full appreciation with regard to the total funding requirements at a provincial level necessary to support the current 9-1-1 system.

In light of this, I am asking your assistance to obtain the following information, including specific dollar amounts. A reply by April 30th, 2013 is requested.

1. For 2012, the total dollars required to provide 9-1-1 services to residents of your province, broken down by major cost component (e.g. capital expenditures for new equipment for PSAPs, ongoing operational costs, administrative costs, etc.).

2. The sources of revenue to meet expenditures in 2012 (e.g. fees charged to telecommunications users, specific or general taxes/fees etc).

I appreciate that the 9-1-1 system has evolved and that our understanding of how it works and what it costs needs to evolve with it. Provinces vary widely in their treatment of the subject: some have centralized points of responsibility, others do not.

My goal is to ensure that there exists a comprehensive understanding of the issues facing 9 1 1 service providers so that, from the CRTC end, our policies support them to the degree required. Looking at the issue from the citizen’s point of view means we have to ask questions, answers to which derive from your jurisdiction over 9-1-1 service providers. We trust you will agree that, if we can know better what is needed to maintain 9-1-1 services, we can each do a better job of supporting them. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Timothy Denton
Inquiry Officer

c.c.: robert.martin@crtc.gc.ca

Date modified:

2013-04-02