911 service restored across Ontario after early-morning outages affected multiple police forces
Emergency lines went down around 4:30 a.m. Thursday across Toronto, York Region, Durham Region and beyond. Services began resuming within hours.
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Emergency 911 service was restored across Ontario and parts of Canada on Thursday morning after widespread outages that began around 4:30 a.m., leaving residents temporarily unable to reach police, fire and medical emergency services.
Toronto Police confirmed its 911 service was being restored after a brief outage and said residents could resume calling 911 for all police, fire and medical emergencies. York Regional Police and Durham Regional Police Service also reported the issue early Thursday morning but said 911 service has since returned. Brief outages were also reported in Quebec and Winnipeg.
Ontario Provincial Police said they were still working to fix issues on their end and urged people unable to reach 911 to use the non-emergency line to contact emergency services.
The cause of the 911 outages across Ontario and Canada has not yet been determined. The duration of the outages for each affected service and the number of emergency calls that could not be completed or were delayed during the disruptions have not been reported.
What caused the 911 outages across Ontario and Canada?
How many emergency calls were affected or delayed?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When did the 911 outages begin across Ontario?
The outages began around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Which police services were affected by the outages?
Toronto Police, York Regional Police, and Durham Regional Police Service all reported 911 outages on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Brief outages were also reported in Quebec and Winnipeg.
What should people do if they cannot reach 911?
Ontario Provincial Police urged people unable to reach 911 to use the non-emergency line to contact emergency services.
