Ottawa's new Next Generation 911 system is live, but callers won't notice yet
Police and fire services have migrated to a voice-over-IP network that will eventually support text, video, and precise device location. Ambulance services expected to follow in November.
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Ottawa has joined a national rebuild of Canada's emergency communications system, replacing aging analog 911 infrastructure with Next Generation 9-1-1 technology. For callers, the experience remains unchanged — you still dial 911 and speak to a dispatcher who sends first responders.
But behind the scenes, the shift is significant. Ottawa Police Service migrated to the new network in March, with Ottawa Fire Services following in May. Ottawa's ambulance communications centre is tentatively scheduled to transition in November, ahead of its original January 2027 target, Ontario's Minister of Health confirmed.
The new system is built on voice-over-IP rather than aging 1980s analog infrastructure. It will eventually support features like real-time text communication, voluntary sharing of medical details or video, and more accurate cellphone location data — potentially device-level precision rather than relying on nearby cell towers.
"If you look at Google Maps, the accuracy that you see is we will see in the future," said Eric Janus, operations manager of the Ottawa Police Service communications centre. More precise location information could help emergency crews reach people faster, especially those unable to describe their location.
Canada has a national deadline of March 31, 2027, to complete the migration. More than 60 percent of Canadians are already served by jurisdictions that have switched to the new system.
The facts
When did Ottawa Police Service switch to the new 911 system?
Ottawa Police Service migrated to Next Generation 9-1-1 in March 2026.
When is Ottawa's ambulance service expected to transition?
Ottawa's ambulance communications centre is tentatively scheduled to transition in November 2026, ahead of its original January 2027 target.
What new features will the Next Generation 911 system eventually support?
The new system will eventually support real-time text communication, voluntary sharing of medical details or video, and more accurate cellphone location data with device-level precision rather than relying on nearby cell towers.
