Item - 2023.EX5.1

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into the Next Generation 9-1-1 Authority Service Agreement with Bell Canada in accordance with the terms and conditions in Attachments 1 and 2 to the  report (May 19, 2023) from the City Manager and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.

2. City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the City Manager and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor, for the Delivery of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Call Answer Service with the Toronto Police Services Board. 

This report seeks Council's authority to enter into an agreement with Bell Canada as required by the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to enable Next Generation 9-1-1(NG 9-1-1) technology. This report outlines the general specifications of this agreement and requests City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into this agreement.

The technology that enables the delivery of 9-1-1 emergency calls across Canada is changing from analog networks to internet protocol-based services.

In June 2017, the CRTC mandated nation-wide changes to modernize the existing analog 9-1-1 Public Emergency Reporting Service to an internet protocol-based service to create the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) that will support 9-1-1 call service while providing for enhanced future capabilities. To support this change to NG 9-1-1, new agreements are required between the City and Bell Canada, and the City and the Toronto Police Service.

Entering into the Agreement with Bell is required to enable the City's transition to the NG 9-1-1 network in accordance with the CRTC-mandated timelines and to ensure the overall continuity of the City's 9-1-1 call answer service. The Agreement is also required to formalize the requirements for the City's Public Safety Answering Point(s) (PSAPs) to operate within the NG 9-1-1 infrastructure and complete the implementation of the required technology upgrades to their respective systems.