Release
Department of Justice and Public Safety
April 09, 2026
FREDERICTON (NB) – New Brunswick has reached a milestone in implementing a next-generation 911 service with the completion of modernization work in Bathurst.
In late March, the Bathurst Public Safety Answering Point became the first in Atlantic Canada to use the next-generation 911 service. Public Safety Answering Points are the first point of contact for 911 calls, where trained emergency dispatchers assess the situation and co-ordinate the appropriate response.
“We are thrilled to take this important step in the comprehensive digital transformation of the province’s 911 system, and we are grateful to the city of Bathurst for helping make this happen,” said Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin. “This modernization project will strengthen public safety, improve co-ordination and enhance accountability. We are eager to continue rolling this out across the province in the coming months.”
“We are proud and honoured to be the first Public Safety Answering Point centre in the Atlantic provinces to activate next-generation 911 services,” said Bathurst Mayor Kim Chamberlain. “This is a testament to the skill set, knowledge and expertise of our personnel to successfully implement modernized 911 infrastructure, enhancing activation and co-ordination by first responders.”
The initiative will connect all Public Safety Answering Points through one network and lay the foundation for increased functionality in the future. Future functions will include allowing the public to text and send pictures and videos in real time to 911.
It will also provide public safety telecommunicators with better tools, more reliable data and a more secure and resilient system, which will ensure faster and more accurate co-ordination during emergencies and strengthen the effectiveness of emergency response across New Brunswick, said Gauvin.
The Department of Justice and Public Safety has been working with stakeholders on the transition to the next-generation 911 system since 2017, when new federal requirements for technology were established.
The next Public Safety Answering Point to make the transition will be in Fredericton.
09-04-26
Related links
Next-generation 911 transition
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Media Contact(s)
Jade Emmanuel, communications, Department of Justice and Public Safety, [email protected].