Great news for Vancouver Island and beyond—E-Comm, BC’s emergency communications hub, has just achieved its best service levels in eight years.
This means faster response times for 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls, directly benefiting Island residents.
The improvements are credited to recent major investments in staffing, technology, and modernization. 2024 has been a year of significant progress for emergency services across the province.
In 2024, an impressive 98% of 9-1-1 calls were answered within five seconds—the best results since 2016.
Emergency calls for police and fire also saw a big boost:
- 90% of police emergency calls in the Lower Mainland were answered within 10 seconds, while Vancouver Island reached 91%
- Fire emergency calls hit their highest level in four years, with 94% answered within 15 seconds
Non-emergency calls improved significantly as well. For police agencies served by E-Comm in the Lower Mainland, 80% of non-emergency calls were picked up within three minutes—a major jump from 63% in 2023 and just 44% in 2022.
E-Comm credits the success to some key changes, including launching a dedicated non-emergency team and rolling out new contact centre tech called Genesys.
This system has cut non-emergency call wait times in half—down from four minutes in 2023 to just two minutes in 2024. It also introduced estimated wait times, call-back options, and SMS updates on case file numbers, making the whole process smoother.
A major plus? Fewer people are hanging up in frustration. Abandoned non-emergency calls in the Lower Mainland dropped by 50% in 2024, now sitting at just 15%. Stats for Vancouver Island weren’t provided.
E-Comm also increased its workforce in 2024. They improved training programs with a mix of e-learning, classroom instruction, and hands-on coaching. New police call-takers got a fresh, research-based curriculum, which helped staffing levels and reduced turnover.
On the tech side, E-Comm beefed up its cybersecurity. With cyber threats on the rise, they built a stronger backup system and tested their network to stay ahead of potential risks.
Looking ahead, E-Comm said it is gearing up for NG9-1-1—a new digital system that will allow for better emergency response, including text and video capabilities.
The transition kicks off in fall 2025, with full rollout expected by the end of the year. This will be one of the most complex emergency communication upgrades in North America, involving 25 regional district partners, BC Emergency Health Services, and the BC RCMP.
“Our team has worked incredibly hard to make 2024 such a success,” said Nancy Blair, E-Comm’s Chief Transformation Officer. “We’re excited to keep this momentum going into 2025 and beyond.”
For more details, check out E-Comm’s full Transformation Plan Update at E-Comm’s website.
