Niagara Regional Police Service Goes Live with Next Generation 9-1-1

The Niagara Regional Police Service, in partnership with Niagara Parks Police and St. Catharines Fire Services, and with the support of the Niagara Region, is proud to announce the successful implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) on March 4, 2026. This significant milestone advances public safety and modernizes emergency communications across the Niagara Region.

NG9-1-1 represents a multi-stage, transformative upgrade to the traditional 9-1-1 system. While the process for callers to connect with an emergency operator remains unchanged, the new system with official network provider Bell and Motorola Solutions offers several key enhancements designed to improve efficiency, reduce wait times and ensure the system remains secure, including:

• quickly providing emergency operators with more accurate data to help determine the caller’s location and phone number
• increasing reliability and cybersecurity are key elements of the new system
• providing more backup capabilities should a failure within the system occur
• in the future, supporting new features such as real-time text and live emergency video calls

The successful implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 marks a significant advancement in how we connect with those in need. This modernization ensures that our emergency communications infrastructure is fast, more resilient, and ready to adapt to future technology,” said NRPS Chief of Police Bill Fordy. “I want to acknowledge the dedication of our Project Team, including the Communications Unit, Information Technology Team, and all those who contributed to this important transition. Their efforts will directly enhance our ability to respond swiftly and effectively when every second counts.”

The new Motorola Solutions technology is designed to recognize when a call is dropped and send an automated callback for the person to confirm if they are having an emergency, and if so, to reconnect them to the 9-1-1 professional.  This feature will help improve 9-1-1 response time for the community, while keeping dispatchers focused on callers with true emergencies.

The Ontario government has provided over $7.7 million since 2022 to support the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 by the Niagara Regional Police Service, St. Catharines Fire Services, and Niagara Parks Police.

"Upgrading Ontario’s public safety communications will be a game changer,” said Hon. Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario. “Next Generation 9-1-1 gives first responders real-time, life-saving information which means a faster, more effective emergency response. Our government will always have the backs of those who protect our province. That’s why we are proud to provide funding to Niagara for this new technology which will mean more calls will be answered, more lives will be saved and people across the city can count on emergency services when it matters most." 

“The Niagara Regional Police Service is modernizing its 9-1-1 infrastructure to better support community members and visitors alike in getting fast, reliable, and informed emergency response they need,” said Michael Martin, president of Motorola Solutions Canada. “Motorola Solutions congratulates the NRPS team for achieving this milestone and bringing the many benefits of advanced, resilient Next Generation 9-1-1 to the Region.”

These changes will not affect the public by how they make or experience 9-1-1 calls. Please dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

For more information, visit the Next Generation 9-1-1 information page.