Nova Scotians will be able to text 911 by 2026

Nova Scotia will soon roll out a new 911 system based on modern technology, which the province says will give first responders more information to help people in need.

The province has been testing and preparing for next-generation 911 (NG911) for the past few years. The new 911 system will be digital and will allow for quicker and more accessible communication during emergencies.

Dave Wilson, director of 911 for the Department of Emergency Management, said the new 911 system will be able to accept text messages and pinpoint a caller's location using global positioning system technology. The current system can track calls from landlines, but it's more difficult to pinpoint an exact location from cellphone calls.

"The more accurate we can be to relay that information on to those responding units is extremely important in times of emergencies," Wilson said Friday.

Wilson said people with speech or hearing impairments have been able to register to text 911 under the current system, but this removes that extra step and opens it up for all Nova Scotians.

Texting might also help someone in a dangerous situation where they must remain silent.

In 2017, the CRTC mandated all phone and cell service companies across the country to update their networks. The deadline for completion was originally March 2025 but was extended to March 2027.

Nova Scotia is ahead of the curve and expects to switch late this year or early in 2026.

Wilson said the second phase of the system will accept photos and video within "the next few years."

This could save vital time in situations like a house fire, Wilson said. Sending a video of the blaze to 911, which would then share it with a fire service, could help crews figure out what equipment and personnel are required before they even arrive on the scene.

Wilson said technological upgrades to the dispatch models for some rural fire departments will be needed for them to fully benefit from the new system.

The dispatch system is part of the upcoming review of fire service in Nova Scotia. Wilson said whatever the outcome of that process, they will work with those groups to "ensure that they get all the information they need."

Terry Canning, former first vice-president of the Fire Service Association of Nova Scotia, said it's important to improve the patchwork of "less than stellar" fire dispatch services that simply don't have the resources to tap into the new system.

"I think the greatest benefit will be the consolidation … of fire dispatch into a much more robust and resilient, reliable service across the province," Canning said.

The province will roll out a public education campaign in the coming months about the new 911 system, Wilson said. 

He said the department won't tolerate "any kind of abuse" of the service, and people sending fake emergency texts could be fined.

NG911 is already being used in some areas of the United States. 

Wilson said the province has chosen Intrado Life & Safety to deliver the new 911 system. The company will also provide the service for parts of Quebec.