1593 Four Mike Creek Fire & Emergency Road Services P.O. Box 190 Telephone (905) 468-3266 Virgil, Ontario Facsimile (905) 468-2959 L0S 1T0

Report: FES-21-001 Committee Date: February 08, 2021

Due in Council: February 22, 2021 Report To: Fire & Emergency Services Subject: Fire Department Dispatch Services

1. RECOMMENDATION It is respectfully recommended that: 1.1 Council receive this report as information regarding the potential for a consolidated regional dispatch centre; 1.2 Council authorize the Fire Chief to begin to investigate potential options for continued dispatch services utilizing our current analog infrastructure in anticipation of the conclusion of the existing Fire Dispatch Services Agreement between the City of St. Catharines and Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake expiring in December of 2022; and 1.3 Council direct the Fire Chief to report back on potential options, along with associated costs, pros and cons/opportunities and threats, and a recommended implementation plan.

2. PURPOSE / PROPOSAL To provide Council with an update on a proposed consolidated dispatch centre that includes Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS), and Local Area Municipalities (LAM) fire departments. Furthermore, the Fire Chief is requesting authorization to begin looking at options for the continuation of dispatch services from 2023 onwards.

3. BACKGROUND The current radio system used by Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services (NOTLFES) is an analog system operating from a single antenna site located at the Virgil water tower. Service calls for the fire department are received at the St. Catharines Fire Services (SCFS) dispatch centre, located on Merritt Street in St. Catharines, where communications staff activate the firefighter pagers by sending a signal from their dispatch centre to the antenna at the Virgil water tower.

Currently, fire dispatch services for NOTLFES are being provided by the City of St. Catharines as per the terms and conditions in the attached Agreement (Appendix I) which commenced on January 1, 2018, and concludes on December 31, 2022.

Report : FES-21-001 Page 1 The current analog system has had many improvements over the past several years, with details available in FES-18-003 (Appendix II) and an Information Report of December 19, 2019 (Appendix III).

4. DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS On January 13, 2021, CSD 3-2021 (Appendix IV) titled “Next Generation 911 (NG911) Update” was presented at Niagara Region’s Corporate Services Committee by Chief Kevin Smith of NEMS. CSD 3-2021 was subsequently ratified at the January 21, 2021 Niagara Regional Council meeting.

One of the recommendations of the report included “That staff BE DIRECTED to develop a recommended model of a consolidated emergency dispatch service for Niagara.” This is motivated largely by requirements to transition to NG911 as per the federal and provincial mandates with a deadline of March 31, 2024. Rather than NRPS, NEMS, SCFS, and Niagara Falls Fire Departments all expending significant funds to upgrade infrastructure to support NG911, a collaborative approach is being sought in order to realize potential efficiencies. An interim update report will be provided at the March 25, 2021 Regional Council meeting.

As current dispatch services for NOTLFES are provided under contract from SCFS through to the end of 2022, and as SCFS is a stakeholder in the consolidated dispatch proposal in CSD-3-2021, there is no assurance that SCFS will be continuing to provide services after the expiry of the existing contract.

Although limited discussion has occurred with LAM fire chiefs up to this point regarding this Regional initiative, Staff have been assured by Niagara Region CAO Ron Tripp that, moving forward, we should expect increased engagement in order to ensure the success of this initiative. Currently, the Town is one of six LAM fire departments (including Fort Erie, Thorold, Welland, Wainfleet, and Port Colborne) that utilize analog radio systems, with the balance utilizing the NRPS P25 digital system.

As our current dispatch provider cannot provide any assurance that services will be provided after the end of our existing contract, and considering that Niagara Region is at the early stages of exploring what a consolidated dispatch model will look like in Niagara, it is recommended that Council authorize the Fire Chief to investigate potential options for continued dispatch services in anticipation of the conclusion of the existing Fire Dispatch Services Agreement between the City of St. Catharines and Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake on December 31, 2022.

Once additional information is available, the Fire Chief will report back on potential options for dispatch services and associated costs, pros and cons/opportunities and threats, including a recommended high-level implementation plan.

5. Strategic Plan

Protect Distinctive Community Assets

Report : FES-21-001 Page 2 Preserve unique community elements Close gap on capital investments Recognize the importance of tourism in Niagara-on-the-Lake Other Deliver Smart Balanced Growth Create a Culture of Customer Service Excellence Excel in a Positive Workplace Strength 2-Way Communications The Town has made a significant investment in recent years in the Town-owned analog radio infrastructure. This investment has avoided costly equipment replacement, monthly system access fees, and allowed for affordable local dispatching services. The recommendations of this report help to ensure that the Town continues to exercise sound financial stewardship, specifically surrounding potential capital investment.

6. OPTIONS

Option 1 (recommended): Direct the Fire Chief to investigate options for the continuation of dispatch services beyond 2022.

Option 2: Receive this report as information only and await information on the Region's proposed consolidated dispatch model.

7. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS While there are no immediate financial implications, the potential for significant impacts to future operating and capital budgets exists. Depending on the capabilities of the new dispatch provider, significant hardware upgrades to Town user equipment may be required if the current Town-owned analog infrastructure is deemed incompatible. Furthermore, many dispatch service providers will be looking to ensure their investment in their NG911 capable centre is recovered through a multi-year service agreement.

8. COMMUNICATIONS Not applicable.

9. CONCLUSION Staff recommend that Council direct the Fire Chief to investigate and report back on options for dispatch services beyond 2022.

Respectfully submitted,

Nick Ruller, MA Marnie Cluckie, MS.LOD, B.ARCH, B.ES Fire Chief Chief Administrative Officer

Report : FES-21-001 Page 3 Appendix I

THIS AGREEMENT made in duplicate this day of , 2017, and authorized by By-law No. 2017- of the City of St. Catharines.

BETWEEN:

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF ST. CATHARINES

(hereinafter called "St. Catharines")

OF THE FIRST PART

- and -

THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE

(hereinafter called "NOTL")

OF THE SECOND PART

WHEREAS section 20 of the Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, c. 25, as amended, provides that

a municipality may enter into an agreement with one or more municipalities for their joint

benefit on any matter which all of them have the power to provide within their own

boundaries;

AND WHEREAS section 2(5) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, S.O. 1997, c.4, as amended, authorizes a municipality to provide and/or receive fire protection services to or from other municipalities;

AND WHEREAS St. Catharines has been providing NOTL with computer aided dispatch services and NOTL has requested that St. Catharines continue to provide its municipality with such services;

AND WHEREAS St. Catharines also provides similar services to Fort Erie, Pelham,

Thorold, West Lincoln, Grimsby, Wainfleet, Port Colborne, Welland, Lincoln, Haldimand and Norfolk;

NOW THEREFORE THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH that in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set out the parties hereto agree as follows: 2

1. St. Catharines agrees to provide NOTL with computer aided fire dispatch service and required backup operations for a five (5) year period commencing on January 1, 2018 to continue until December 31, 2022 (the 'Term").

2. NOTL agrees that it shall be responsible to pay to St. Catharines the annual sums as highlighted in yellow on Schedule "A" attached hereto. In every case the annual amounts shall be payable by NOTL in quarterly instalments, in advance and upon the receipt of an invoice from St. Catharines.

3. The parties hereto agree that in the event St. Catharines should be successful in negotiating additional users to this computer aided fire dispatch service, that the rate referred to herein may be renegotiated to reflect other users, however NOTL's share is will not increase except as outlined in paragraph 2 herein.

4. Any subsequent renewal of this Agreement is subject to changes in terms and conditions, including fees payable, as agreed to by the parties.

5. St. Catharines, together with all Municipalities that have an agreement with St.

Catharines for the provision of fire dispatch agreements shall form a Joint Operating

Committee (hereinafter "JOG") to oversee the provision of dispatch services including

Geographical Information Systems, Information Technology, Standard Operating

Guidelines, and performance targets for St. Catharines' Dispatch Centre (hereinafter the

"Centre"). This JOG will consist of the Fire Chief of St. Catharines, the Fire Chiefs of each municipality for which St. Catharines provides dispatch services, and the Chief

Communications Officer for St. Catharines.

6. The JOG shall hold two (2) meetings per year during each year of the Term, and all meetings of the JOG shall have an agenda and recorded minutes.

7. On an ongoing basis the JOG shall review staffing and service levels of the Centre and shall forward any recommendations to the CAO's of each municipality. 3

8. The parties acknowledge that:

a) The overall responsibility for the Communication Division of the St.

Catharines Fire Services will be under the direction of a senior (non-union)

member of the St. Catharines Fire Services. The day-to day supervision of the

Centre and its staff and operations will be the responsibility of the Chief

Communications Officer who is hired by St. Catharines;

b) After hours and holiday supervision of the Centre will be provided by

Communications Coordinators, and/or the on duty Platoon Chief of the St.

Catharines Fire Services;

c) Operating costs to staff, operate, maintain, repair and replace the Centre

will be determined by St. Catharines in its sole discretion. Capital costs will include

costs for dispatch equipment and any peripheral devices, but will exclude costs for

the interior or exterior of the building;

d) A minimum of two (2) Public Safety T elecommunicators will be present at

the Centre at all times; and

e) City of St. Catharines Information Systems support staff will be available

Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm for any supported platforms. After hours

assistance shall be coordinated through the on-call St. Catharines Senior Officer.

9. NOTL shall be responsible for the following:

a) To provide high speed internet connections dedicated to each station printer

and terminal which is to receive the computer aided dispatch transmittals from St.

Catharines;

b) To provide existing or compatible radio systems and hardware to receive

the transmittals from St. Catharines; 4

c) To maintain all required equipment, owned by NOTL, including its radio

system and hardware and high speed internet connection, in good working order

at all times;

d) To provide master run card information and any other pertinent information;

e) On a monthly basis, to provide St. Catharines and/or St. Catharines'

geographical information systems (GIS) provider all necessary information for the

operation of the dispatch system, including but not limited to maps, single line road

network data, hydrant locations, assessment data, and any and all other pertinent

data as required by the Fire Chief for St. Catharines and to immediately notify St.

Catharines of any inaccuracies it discovers;

f) To update all Location Information Forms provided by St. Catharines;

g) To maintain an up-to-date copy of the backup dispatch documentation

(street grid and range files, paper maps) as provided to St. Catharines; and

h) To continue to be responsible for receiving all non-emergency and business

calls directly.

10. St. Catharines agrees that it shall:

a) Provide NOTL with computer aided fire dispatch twenty-four (24) hours a

day, seven (7) days a week, which service shall include the receipt, recording and

retransmission of all calls for Fire Department Emergency Services for NOTL;

b) Maintain the equipment located in St. Catharines, and other locations as

may be required from time to time for the provision of the services outlined herein; s

c) Retain all voice recordings for a period of up to one hundred and eighty

(180) days and all written and CAD records for a period of up to seven (7) years,

and provide copies of secure voice recordings upon request from NOTL;

d) Provide monthly and annual call for service reports to NOTL based on

dispatch time reports, call volume and nature of the calls;

e) Provide the necessary training and supervision to ensure that its employees

are in compliance with the Operational Guidelines of St. Catharines Fire Service

and shall work towards operating at the National Fire Protection Association

(hereinafter "NFPA") 1221, Chapter 7 Standard for Dispatch Operations Level. The

parties acknowledge that such performance targets are targets only and not an

obligation of St. Catharines; and

f) Use best efforts for communications personnel to meet the current edition

of NFPA 1061 Standard for Public Safety Telecommunicator Professional

Qualifications, without prejudice.

11. All computer aided dispatch incident records and data in connections with an incident ("Data") will belong to the party to which the incident relates. Each party will be responsible for the storage, integrity, retention and destruction of its own Data. St.

Catharines will not be responsible for the NOTL's storage, integrity, retention or destruction of its Data.

12. The parties agree that either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, for any purpose whatsoever, by giving twenty-four (24) months prior written notice to the other party, and no compensation shall be payable for any damages incurred.

13. If either party to this Agreement is in breach of any of its obligations under this

Agreement, the other party may give a notice in writing of the breach to the defaulting party and request that the default be remedied. If the party in breach fails to remedy the breach within fifteen (15) days after the date of written notice, then this Agreement may 6 be terminated by written notice of termination given by the complaining party, such termination to be effective fifty (50) days from the date of the notice of termination. In the event that notice of termination is provided by either party, St. Catharines shall continue to provide the services described herein until the effective date of the termination, and

NOTL shall continue to make payment of the fees in accordance with this Agreement until the effective date of termination.

14. Each party to this Agreement (the "First Party") shall indemnifyand hold harmless the other party and its officers, directors, employees, members of council, assignees, licensees, sub-licensees, customers and agents (the "Other Party") from any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, actions, debts, expenses and costs which result from and/or are based on the acts, omissions, default or negligence of the First Party or those for whom the First Party is at law responsible.

15. St. Catharines shall obtain, pay and maintain in effect for the duration of this

Agreement Commercial General Liability Insurance and Errors and Omissions Liability

Insurance, each in the amount of not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00), naming NOTL as an additional insured. St. Catharines shall deliver to NOTL a certificate of insurance for such coverage.

16. No waiver by either party to this Agreement of any default, breach or non-observance by the other party at any time or times in respect of any provision herein contained shall operate as, or be deemed to be, a waiver of the non-defaulting party's rights hereunder in respect of any continuing or subsequent default, breach or non­ observance, or so as to defeat or affect in any way such party's rights in respect of any such continuing or subsequent default or breach, and no waiver shall be inferred from or implied by anything done or omitted by the non-defaulting party save only express waiver in writing.

17. St. Catharines will not disclose or disseminate confidential information received by

NOTL to anyone other than those employees with a need to know. Nothing in this section precludes St. Catharines from complying with the requirements of the Municipal Freedom 7 of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, as amended and subject to the provisions of the Emergency Management and Civil ProtectionAct, R.S.O.

1990, CHAPTER E.9, as amended, it is understood and agreed by NOTL that this

Agreement and any information or material submitted to St. Catharines under this

Agreement may be subject to disclosure under the Municipal Freedom of Information and

Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, as amended.

18. This Agreement embodies the entire Agreement of the parties hereto with regard to the matters dealt with herein, and no understandings or agreements, verbal or otherwise, exist between the parties except as herein expressly set forth.

19. This Agreement may only be amended in writing upon being signed by both parties.

20. Any notice required by any provision of this Agreement shall be given in writing addressed, in the case of notice to St. Catharines, to it at:

The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines 50 Church Street P. 0. Box 3012 St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7C2 Attention: City Clerk and, in the case of notice to NOTL, to it at:

The Corporation of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake P.O. Box 100, 1593 Four Mile Creek Rd Virgil, ON LOS 1T0 Attention: Town Clerk and sent by prepaid registered mail. The time of giving such notice shall be conclusively deemed to be the second business day after the day of such mailing. Such notice shall also be sufficiently given when it shall have been delivered, in the case of notice to St.

Catharines, to the City Clerk, and in the case of notice to NOTL, by delivery to the County

Clerk. Such notice, if delivered, shall be conclusively deemed to have been given and received at the time of such delivery.

21. Neither party shall assign this Agreement nor any right or obligation hereunder without first obtaining the prior written consent of the other party. 8

22. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada.

23. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision or part of any provision of this

Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision or part thereof, and any such invalid or unenforceable provision or part thereof shall be deemed to be separate, severable and distinct.

24. Nothing in this Agreement should be construed to create a partnership, joint venture or employer-employee relationship between St. Catharines and NOTL.

25. This Agreement shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, their successors and assigns.

26. Each party agrees that no portion of this Agreement shall be interpreted less favourably to either party because that party or its counsel was primarily responsible for the drafting of that portion.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereof have hereunto affixed their corporate seals under the hands of their proper officers duly authorized in that behalf.

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED ) THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF in the presence of ) ST. CATHARINES ) ) ) ) MAYOR ) ) ) ) CLERK ) ) ) THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN ) OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ) ) ) MAYOR ) ) ) ) CLERK SCHEDULE "A" City of St. Catharines 2018 - 2022 Computer Aided Dispatch Partner Allocations

Municipality I 2018 Allocation 2019 Allocation 2020 Allocation 2021 Allocation 2022 Allocation 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% Fort Erie $ 93,278.00 $ 96,076.00 $ 98,958.00 $ 101,927.00 $ 104,985.00 Grimsby 74,540.00 76,776.00 79,079.00 81,451.GO 83,895.00 Niag-on-the-Lake 56,902.00 58,609.00 60,367.00 62,178.00 64,043.00 Pelham 53,084.00 54,677.00 56,317.00 58,007.00 59,747.00 Port Colborne 74,879.00 77,125.00 79,439.00 81,822.00 84,277.00 Thorold 79,472.00 81,856.00 84,312.00 86,841.00 89,446.00 Wainfleet 22,628.00 23,307.00 24,006.00 24,726.00 25,468.00 Welland 166,066.00 171,048.00 176,179.00 181,464.00 186,908.00 West Lincoln 42,130.00 43,394.00 44,696.00 46,037.00 47,418.00 Lincoln 67,216.00 69,232.00 71,309.00 73,449.00 75,652.00 Haldimand 99,734.00 102,726.00 105,808.00 108,982.00 112,251.00 Subtotal $ 829,929.00 $ 854,826.00 $ 880,470.00 $ 906,884.00 $ 934,090.00

Norfolk $ 153,175.00 $ 157,387.00 162,109.00 166,972.00 171,981.00 St Catharines $ 944,246.00 972,573.00 1,001,750.00 1,031,803.00 1,062,757.00 Total $ 1,927,350.00 $ 1,984,786.00 $ 2,044,329.00 $2,105,659.00 $ 2,168,828.00 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 Appendix II

Fire & Emergency 1593 Four Mike Creek Services Road Telephone (905) 468- P.O. Box 190 3266 Virgil, Ontario Facsimile (905) 468-2959 L0S 1T0

Submitted on: June 07, 2018 Report: FES-18-003

Report To: Fire & Emergency Services Subject: Fire Department Radio System

1. RECOMMENDATION

It is respectfully recommended

1.1 That Council endorse the continuation of the use of the current analog radio system as recommended as Option #1 in this report; and

1.2 That Council support the continuation of capital project C01260 for the analog radio system upgrades as recommended in this report with an increase in Capital funding of $33,000, to be funded from the sale of the old Virgil Fire Station, for a total project budget of $328,000; and

1.3 That staff report back to Council regarding the annual operating costs of the analog system improvements once they are known; and

1.4 That staff report back to Council regarding the potential need for vehicle repeaters upon completion of the project and completion of testing to determine any coverage gaps that may still exist.

2. PURPOSE / PROPOSAL The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an update on capital project C01260 Radio Infrastructure System Upgrade which was approved in the 2017 capital budget and to request Council approval for a change in project scope and increase in funding as identified in this report.

3. BACKGROUND On September 19, 2016 Council received report CDS-16-044 Niagara Regional Police infrastructure for communication hardware for the Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services (attached). The recommendations adopted in this report are as follows:

It is respectfully recommended

1.1 that integration of our radio equipment with the Niagara Regional Police https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 1/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 Services radio system through our partnership with the City of St. Catharines Fire Department be endorsed by Council; and

1.2 that $345,000 be forwarded to the 2017 budget deliberations as a Capital project.

Subsequently this initiative was included in the 2017 capital budget at a reduced budget of $295,000 for the completion of the radio infrastructure system upgrade.

This remains an extremely important and worthwhile initiative as there are serious issues with the radio system being used by Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services as outlined below.

Background on the current radio system The current radio system used by Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services is an analog system operating from a single antenna site located at the Virgil water tower. The calls for fire department service are received at the St. Catharines fire dispatch centre located on Merritt Street in St. Catharines where communications staff activate the firefighter pagers by sending a signal from their dispatch centre to the antenna at the Virgil water tower.

The signal then travels from the Virgil water tower antenna to the pagers carried by volunteer firefighters. The pagers relay the call information to the volunteer firefighters who respond to the stations. Once the firefighters respond to the station and don their protective equipment and respond in the fire trucks to the emergency incident they transmit and receive information using radios. These radio signals travel from the radios to the Virgil water tower antenna and then to the dispatch centre in St. Catharines.

The current radio system is very old (hardware believed to be in excess of 20 years old) and has proven to be unreliable and problematic. The limitations and performance issues associated with the current system are as follows:

1) There are gaps in coverage in many areas of Niagara-on-the-Lake including the waterfront in the Old Town (King's Point Condos, Queens Landing etc.), along the Parkway and the Dock area in Queenston, the area of the airport, the Lakeshore Road/Stewart Road area in Virgil and several areas in the Glendale area.

These coverage issues mean that pagers do not activate or may activate but transmit only static and that radios may not transmit or receive or may only transmit or receive static.

2) Because of the weakness of radio transmissions there is inadequate penetration into several large buildings. These issues are extremely bad at the Outlet Mall, White Oaks, Hilton Garden Inn, Kings Point Condos, the Prince of Wales Hotel, Queens Landing and the Pillar and Post Hotel.

3) The volunteer firefighter pagers do not reliably activate in some areas of Niagara-on- the-Lake (as described above) and do not reliably activate in St. Catharines or Niagara Falls. https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 2/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003

The result of this means that a Niagara-on-the-Lake volunteer firefighter may be located only a few minutes into St. Catharines or Niagara Falls, be completely available to respond to an emergency incident and never receive the pager activation.

4) The current system has no built in redundancy and should a failure of the single antenna located at the Virgil water tower occur then the entire system is potentially compromised.

The predominant issue with points #1 and #2 above is that it directly impacts firefighter health & safety. A team of firefighters will enter a structure and, depending on the area and/or building, these firefighters may not be able to achieve radio contact with the Incident Commander and other crews operating on the outside of the structure.

This places these firefighters in a dangerous situation whereby they are limited, or completely unable to transmit an emergency message or a mayday should they experience an emergency (structural collapse, rapid fire spread, lost firefighter, firefighter running out of air etc.) due to the radio system limitations.

Conversely, due to the same radio system limitations, the Incident Commander or other exterior crews will have limited or no radio contact to be able to transmit important safety messages to the interior crews such as the need to evacuate the building.

4. DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS The digital radio system that was proposed in the previous report to Council was one that was designed specifically for the Niagara Regional Police with no fire department involvement during the design phase.

It was only after the initial system design was complete that there was consideration given to offering system space to the 12 fire departments that are based in the Niagara Region.

This initiative, adding the fire departments, would help divest the operating costs associated with this system. The operating costs for the system are fixed costs and any additional partners that are brought into the system (such as fire departments) would then reduce these costs to the Niagara Regional Police.

When the initial report was presented to Council it did not disclose all capital and operating costs associated with moving to the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system. The $295,000 that was approved is not sufficient funding for completion of this project.

At the time the report was drafted the cost per radio may have been only speculative but it has since been confirmed to be $4,563 per portable radio (as opposed to the $1,100 per portable radio that we currently pay), $4,300 per mobile radio (located in each truck) and $4,300 per base station radio (located in each station).

In order to purchase the necessary radios to join the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system a total of $472,540 (plus applicable taxes) would be required. This leaves a https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 3/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 significant budget shortfall from the $295,000 that was approved as part of the 2017 capital budget.

In addition, the report that was previously presented to Council did not include the annual operating costs that are charged by the Niagara Regional Police. These charges are $50 per radio per month which would total $63,000 per year.

If Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services were to continue pursuing joining the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system in lieu of upgrading its current analog radio system it would require an additional $185,857 in one-time funding and $63,000 in annual funding.

In addition to the concerns related to cost, there are concerns related to the performance of the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system. Upon the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system becoming operational, a series of tests were completed across the region. There were some lower tier municipalities that experienced some improvement in coverage and system function, several who reported no improvement in coverage and system function and at least one case, Niagara-on-the-Lake, who experienced worse coverage and system function.

In Niagara-on-the-Lake's case the new Niagara Regional Police digital radio system does not include any antenna sites within the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and, as a result, during testing the system performed poorer than our current analog system.

The Niagara Regional Police digital radio system serves Niagara-on-the-Lake through one antenna located in the Casino area in Niagara Falls and one antenna located on Lake Street in St. Catharines. The absence of any local system infrastructure (antenna's, repeaters etc.) resulted in diminished coverage during testing.

As a result of this proposed system both costing more than originally reported and performing poorly during testing, fire department staff engaged Talk Wireless (our communication system providers) to compile further options for our consideration.

Because of the costs and test results there are several Niagara Fire Departments who are not joining the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system as first proposed. At this time the departments that have chosen not to join include Welland, Port Colborne, Grimsby, Lincoln and Fort Erie. In addition, Thorold, West Lincoln and Wainfleet remain undecided pending further system testing. The only regional fire departments that have committed to joining at this time are St. Catharines and Niagara Falls (who operate the dispatch centres) and Pelham.

5. STRATEGIC PLAN Not applicable

6. OPTIONS Talk Wireless was asked to propose options that would result in the improvements to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services radio system to alleviate the system https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 4/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 performance (and subsequent health & safety issues) issues.

These options are as follows:

Option #1 (recommended) Continue utilizing the existing analog system and make the necessary investments to improve the system to alleviate the performance issues as outlined in the conclusion section below.

Option #2 Join the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system as previously identified in report CDS-16-044 and the 2017 capital budget initiatives. This option would require the additional funding as outlined in this report and would not, based on testing indications, result in the system performance issues being resolved.

Option #3 Join the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system and subsequently enhance the system by adding a combination of vehicle and/or in-building repeaters. These enhancements would be required to alleviate the system performance issues but would come at an added cost over and above the $472,540 (plus applicable taxes) one-time expense.

7. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS The financial implications of selecting Option #2 would mean a one-time increase in cost of approximately $185,857 and an annual funding requirement of $63,000.

The financial implications of selecting Option #3 would mean a one-time increase in cost of approximately $185,857, an annual funding requirement of $63,000 and an additional funding requirement to install vehicle and/or in-building repeaters to improve system coverage and performance. The costs for the vehicle and/or in-building repeaters would not be known until system installation was completed and further testing done to identify coverage gaps. The costs for vehicle repeaters range from $10,000 to $25,000 per vehicle and the cost of in-building repeaters varies significantly from as little as $20,000 each to as much as potentially $100,000 each for some of the identified buildings.

The financial implications for Option #1(recommended) are as follows with some costs being known and some annual operating costs not yet being known:

· The purchase and installation of the antennas and other hardware for the 4 tower sites referenced later in this report has been quoted at $240,000. · The replacement of the 80 portable radios can be accomplished at a total cost of approximately $88,000 (based on today’s pricing)

· The replacement of the 20 mobile radios and 5 base stations would not need to be completed at this time as these radios are still performing well and could be replaced on an as needed basis. If the option is to remain with the analog system the current radios would continue to be compatible and functional. https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 5/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003

· The purchase and installation of 5 vehicle repeaters (one on each front-line pumper) can be completed for $80,000 ($16,000 per vehicle repeater for the analog system x 5 front-line vehicles). The purchase and installation of the vehicle repeaters would be a contingent item that would be re-evaluated following all other system improvements being completed. Depending on the impact of the 4 antenna simulcast system these vehicle repeaters may or may not be required, and they may only be required in some, but not all, locations. It is recommended that the purchase and installation of the vehicle repeaters be brought back to Council following the successful completion and testing of the simulcast system for further consideration at that time and not be included in the amended project budget at this time.

· The unknown annual operating costs associated with this project include the following: o Potential Industry Canada license fee increases o System monitoring, service and support costs o Lease agreements to house the radio system equipment on privately owned buildings or towers

The above costs will not be known until the antenna site locations are chosen and a final system design completed and would be brought back to Council as soon as they were confirmed.

The total one-time capital cost of completing the purchase and installation of a 4 site analog simulcast radio system and replacing the necessary radio equipment is $328,000. This is $33,000 more than the $295,000 that was approved in the 2017 capital budget but significantly less than pursuing either option of joining the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system. It is recommended that the additional $33,000 is funded from the proceeds of the old Virgil Firehall. If approved, this leaves $106,590 from the proceeds of the sale to be allocated to other projects, or to the Tax Stabilization Reserve per the Reserve Policy.

In addition to the $328,000 (the already approved $295,000 and an additional $33,000) that would be required to complete the project in 2018, further consideration will be required in 2019 once the system is complete as to whether up to $80,000 would be required to add vehicle repeater systems. This would be subject to Council approval if deemed required.

Additionally, there will be annual operating costs associated with this system, regardless of which option is chosen, that were never included in the initial report to Council. If the Niagara Regional Police digital radio system was chosen these annual operating costs would be $63,000 per year.

If the analog system is chosen the annual operating costs would include the above noted items. An initial estimate, based only on early quotations made on system assumptions, are that the annual operating costs for the analog system would not exceed $25,000 per year.

https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 6/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 8. COMMUNICATIONS Not applicable

9. CONCLUSION Staff are recommending Option #1, remaining with the existing analog system and making the necessary investment to improve the system to alleviate the performance issues. This option would mean that the previously approved capital budget project continues but with a revised scope.

The revised scope of work would include:

1) Replacement of the existing antenna with a newer and more modern antenna at the Virgil water tower.

2) The addition of a second antenna on the cell phone tower located beside Fire Station #2 on Warner Road in St. Davids to improve coverage and system reliability in the St. Davids and Queenston areas.

3) The addition of a third antenna to be located in the Old Town (location to be determined) to improve coverage and system reliability in the Old Town area.

4) The addition of a fourth antenna to be located in the Glendale area (location to be determined) to improve coverage and system reliability in the Glendale area.

5) Linking all 4 antenna’s together to become a simulcast system (explained later in this report)

6) Replacement of the current radios (in some cases up to 20 year old) with new modern radios (which would have been required with any option) that will improve radio signal strength and transmissions.

7) Adding vehicle repeaters to front-line pumper trucks to improve building penetration in the aforementioned large and complex buildings where radio signal penetration is challenging if it is required following all other system improvements.

This option, an improved analog system, would achieve the following:

· Because the system will be comprised of multiple antenna sites that are inter- connected it will be a simulcast system. This means that all radio and pager transmissions are simultaneously transmitted at all antenna sites. Practically, this means that for every call all 4 antenna's will transmit which means no matter where in Niagara-on-the-Lake a firefighter is located their pager and/or radio will receive improved transmission. · Because the system will be comprised of multiple antenna sites there will be built-in redundancy. Any single antenna site may fail and while it will diminish the overall performance of the system, it would not impact the performance of the remaining antenna sites. This means that the system will be able to continue to function through https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 7/8 1/22/2021 Report : FES-18-003 any isolated antenna failures.

· The new system will, if required after all other improvements are made, incorporate 5 vehicle repeater systems located on the front-line pumper truck in each of the 5 districts. These vehicle repeater systems are physically located on the fire apparatus and boost transmissions at the specific incident where the vehicle is located. This will improve in-building penetration at emergency incidents.

The completion of this project and making the necessary system improvements to ensure firefighter safety is a key priority. Staff recommend that Council approve pursuing Option #1 and completing this project with a revised scope of work and budget by replacing the current analog system components and transitioning to a simulcast system as outlined in this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Rob Grimwood Holly Dowd Fire Chief Chief Administrative Officer

ATTACHMENTS

CDS-16-044.pdf

First Capital of Upper Canada - 1792

https://domino.notl.com//sites/notl/NOTLCOTW.nsf/74C6E02BCBF6FC1C8525783E00620D4E/12DDB931029279A8852582A5005E9F1B 8/8 Appendix III

With the Shaw wanting to occupy the market room, Staff was able to analyze the data on the power usage of the building. It was determined that over years 2018 & 2019 eduction of approximately $15,000.00 in Hydro costs.

The Town and Shaw will enter into a year trial agreement starting January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Town Staff will report to Council in the Summer of 2020 to give an update. Town staff also negotiated that the Shaw would accommodate community use in the Market Room when their schedule permits. This will still allow the general public access to the space for small special events, pending availabilit scheduled use of the facility.

ATTACHMENTS

Information Report Page 2 The Corporation of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Information Report to Council

SUBJECT: Fire Department Communications System Antenna

Date: December 19, 2019

Prepared By: Nicholas Ruller

Department: Fire Department

BACKGROUND INFORMATION In July 2018, FES-18-003 was approved by Council to proceed with necessary upgrades to the current analog fire department communications system. This report included the development of a simulcast system that has since proven to be unnecessary as a result of the improved coverage realized after the replacement of the primary antenna site hardware in December 2018. Consequently, the establishment of several of the additional antenna sites have been put on hold as initial coverage testing indicates a significant improvement in coverage.

An update on the approved initiatives are as follows:

1) Replacement of the existing antenna with a newer and more modern antenna at the Virgil water tower. - COMPLETE

2) The addition of a second antenna on the cell phone tower located beside Fire Station #2 on Warner Road in St. Davids to improve coverage and system reliability in the St. Davids and Queenston areas. - PROPOSED

3) The addition of a third antenna to be located in the Old Town (location to be determined) to improve coverage and system re ON HOLD

4) The addition of a fourth antenna to be located in the Glendale area (location to

Information Report Page 1 be determined) to improve coverage and system reliability in the Glendale area. ON HOLD

ON HOLD

6) Replacement of the current radios (in some cases up to 20 year old) with new modern radios (which would have been required with any option) that will improve radio signal strength and transmissions. - UNDERWAY

7) Adding vehicle repeaters to frontline pumper trucks to improve building penetration in the aforementioned large and complex buildings where radio signal penetration is challenging if it is required following all other system improvements. - UNDERWAY

The purpose of this report is to inform Council of the addition of an antenna to the communications tower located at 745 Warner Road (Fire Station 2). This antenna will provide a redundant antenna site for fire department communications system that is utilized for paging and emergency incident operations communications (see item #2 above). Currently, the fire department communications system consists of a single antenna site located on top of the Virgil Water Tower. This site was recently upgraded with a new antenna, cabling, and the relocation of all hardware into a radio shelter at the base of the tower. The proposed antenna in St.Davids will provide backup paging and communications in the event that the primary site on the Virgil Water Tower is compromised. It is believed that this upgrade will eliminate the need to create a 4-site simulcast system, representing a significant savings.

NEXT STEP / CONCLUSION The antenna will be installed above the shroud of the 40-metre tri-pole communications tower located at 745 Warner Road in early 2020. The antenna is approximately 20 feet long and 4 feet wide and will be light gray in colour. An image has been included below for reference.

Information Report Page 2 Appendix IV

CSD 3-2021 January 13, 2021 Page 1

Subject: Next Generation 911 (NG911) Update Report to: Corporate Services Committee Report date: Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Recommendations

1. That the following report pertaining to the implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) in Niagara BE RECEIVED for information. 2. That staff BE DIRECTED to continue the planning for the implementation of NG911 in coordination with partner agencies, Boards and Councils. 3. That staff BE DIRECTED to develop a recommended model of a consolidated emergency dispatch service for Niagara.

Key Facts

 The Niagara Region is responsible for the provision of 911 services for all local area municipalities (LAM)  This service is provided under a Service Performance Agreement with the Niagara Regional Police Services to act as the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PPSAP)  911 technology is governed federally by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)  911 infrastructure in Ontario is provided by Bell Canada  New technology known as Next Generation 911 (NG911) is being implemented nationally through the CRTC  All provinces, municipalities and their PSAP providers are required to meet the NG911 standards no later than March 31, 2024 at which time the legacy systems will be disconnected  Emergency services dispatch (police, fire, EMS) for Niagara involves five different agencies  Successful coordination between the five agencies and LAM’s will result in the most efficient implementation of NG911 in Niagara  Staff will bring forward an additional report once decisions on governance and coordination of efforts are made, which will outline the recommendations, implementation plan and financial implications for all stakeholders. CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 2 ______

Financial Considerations

The initial stage of the project will include engaging a Technological Infrastructure consultant to assist in developing and recommending the appropriate equipment required to meet NG911 standards for both the active and backup systems. The cost of the consulting engagement is estimated at $100,000 and is anticipated to be funded from the NRPS – Communications Back Up Centre capital project (20001462) which was included in the NRPS 2021 capital budget.

The preliminary estimated cost for the overall transition to NG911, including; consulting, capital equipment and maintenance fees is $2M.

After the recommendations from the consultant are considered and a decision is made on governance, staff will be in a better place to understand total financial implications and will bring forward a report to Council in consultation with the Police Services Board, at that time. The report will include financial implications for the Region, NRPS and LAM’s in relation to procurement of the required capital equipment, further consultant fees, project management and other resources as identified and required for successful NG911 implementation within 2023.

The Niagara Region will be responsible for the administration of the new system in collaboration with the Niagara Regional Police Services as the contracted service provider.

Analysis

911 services originated in Canada in 1974 as a means for the public to access emergency services, traditionally through the responding agencies of police, ambulance and fire. Municipalities are required to ensure that access to 911 services are available to their communities and as such the Niagara Region is responsible for the provision of 911 services for all local area municipalities in Niagara. While the service may be provided through various models of direct, private or contracted services, 911 in Niagara is provided under a Service Performance Agreement with the NRPS to act as the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PPSAP). As the PPSAP, the NRPS are the first point of contact for people calling 911. The first question that is asked to people calling 911 is if their emergency is for police, fire or ambulance. Based on the initial information provided, the caller is then transferred to a Secondary PSAP (SPSAP) as the most appropriate agency required for the response (Fig.1).

CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 3 ______

Figure 1 illustrates the flow of a 911 call from the Primary PSAP to Secondary PSAP's.

In Canada, 911 technology is governed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and in Ontario the 911 infrastructure is provided provincially by Bell Canada. Current 911 technology is voice analogue-based with minimal data and limits the amount and type of information shared across the 911 infrastructure. New technology known as Next Generation 911 (NG911) is being implemented nationally through the CRTC. The introduction of NG911 technology will greatly improve 911 services in a growingly wireless mobile society as it is based on an Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) operating on an Internet Protocol (IP) platform to serve as a national IP-enabled emergency network. This platform enhances emergency number services to create a faster, more resilient system that allows voice, photos, videos and text messages to flow seamlessly from the public to, and across, the 911 network.

The CRTC has mandated that all provinces, municipalities and their PPSAP providers are required to meet the NG911 standards no later than March 31, 2024 at which time the legacy systems will be disconnected. In Niagara, this will require significant technological changes to local emergency dispatch services.

Currently in Niagara, five separate emergency service dispatch centres exist. These include:

CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 4 ______

Niagara Regional Police Services While the NRPS provides contracted services as the PPSAP for Niagara, its’ primary responsibility is for the deployment and dispatch of 911 responses of police related matters in all of Niagara, including providing notifications to the Niagara Parks Police and Ontario Provincial Police.

St. Catharines Fire Services SCFS is responsible for the deployment and dispatch of 911 responses of fire related matters for the City of St. Catharines as well as nine other Niagara municipalities under contracted services for fire dispatch. The two LAM fire services that are not dispatched by SCFS are Fort Erie and Niagara Falls.

Tillsonburg Fire Service While not an emergency service dispatch that is located in Niagara, Tillsonburg Fire Services is responsible for the deployment and dispatch of 911 responses of fire related matters solely for the Town of Fort Erie.

Niagara Falls Fire Service NFFS is responsible for the deployment and dispatching of 911 responses of fire matters solely for the City of Niagara Falls.

Niagara Emergency Medical Services NEMS is responsible for the deployment and dispatching of 911 responses of EMS matters in all of Niagara. This service is provided within a Performance Agreement between the Niagara Region and the Province of Ontario and is administered through budgets and infrastructure provided by the Province.

NG911 Planning The transition from the current 911 analogue system to the new ESInet NG911 system requires significant effort with mandatory deadlines. An NG911 Steering Committee made up of agency representatives and stakeholders has been meeting for the past 18 months to best understand and prepare to advance this work. Planning for this project include two primary areas of focus; technological infrastructure and dispatch consolidation.

CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 5 ______

Technological Infrastructure The roadmap to implement NG911 across Niagara is complex. Considerations must be made for the platform (NG911 interface) that is to be used, information security, interoperability, GIS compliance and operating procedures. To inform the Steering Committee in decision making and the formation of recommendations for necessary approvals, an industry consultant is being procured to assist the working group. A Request For Proposal (2020-RFP-207) has been issued by the Region’s Procurement team to select the appropriate company to provide this service. The cost associated with the work of the consultant is anticipated to be funded from the Communications Back Up Centre Capital project (20001462) upon approval of the 2021 Capital Budget.

Dispatch Consolidation One of the more multifaceted and time sensitive aspects of the transition to NG911 relates to the current fragmented model for dispatch services in Niagara. As previously highlighted, four separate dispatch centres operate in the region and one additional dispatch service is provided from an agency outside the Niagara region. Each of the four local dispatch centres require a back-up centre to relocate to should the primary site be compromised. Consideration must now be given if this is the appropriate time to transition the current dispatch facility model into a consolidated model.

In 2011, the Niagara Region undertook a comprehensive review of the region’s emergency dispatch services for consideration of a consolidated model. The consultant firm IBI was contracted to perform this study and CSD 7-2014 provided a summary of their report. Specifically, IBI recommended that:  An operationally integrated “Public Safety Communications” model is the one that IBI Group favours.(p81)  It may take a number of years to transition to this model.(p82)

Following the submission of the IBI report, investigation continued to gauge interest in the local area municipalities and emergency services to actively work towards consolidation. In the interim, the leadership of NRPS, NEMS, SCFS and NFFS agreed to continue working collaboratively on a cooperative model of seeking opportunities to advance dispatch services in efficiencies and effectiveness.

With the current requirement to implement a new 911 infrastructure in Niagara, the leaders of the emergency services noted above are unanimous that this is the right time to move to a consolidated model of regional emergency dispatch. For clarity, the definition of the term “consolidation” may include: CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 6 ______

 Integration of Technology - all agencies (9-1-1 PSAP, police, fire and ideally EMS operate with shared (common) CAD and radio systems and a common IT resource. They may also share telephone (911 Call Logger) and AVL/GPS systems but would have separate Resource Management Systems.

Currently the NRPS hosts a P25 radio system that integrates with several municipal fire services including St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, West Lincoln, Pelham and most recently Grimsby. One additional municipal fire service is to be on-boarded to the P25 system early 2021.

 Physical Co-Location - some or all agencies are housed in the same building and may even be co-located in the same communications center within the building. Back-up centres can also be shared and provide multi-use functionality such as training and emergency operations centres (EOC).

Currently NRPS Communications Centre serves as the back up for St. Catharines Fire and Niagara Falls Fire Communications Centres. NEMS back-up centre is located in Hamilton as provided by the Province. With the future closure of the current NRPS District 1 facility located at 68 Church St, the current site of the NRPS/PPSAP back-up centre, the future location for a permanent NRPS dispatch backup is a matter of current discussion between the Region and the NRPS with decisions forthcoming.

Dispatch consolidation may not include:

 Integration of Operations – while each agency may be physically co-located, each continues to operate under its own (autonomous) governance structure and mandate, with their respective staff, support resources, programs and procedures.

Meetings with the emergency service leaders involving the Region and LAM CAO’s were held in 2020 to have preliminary discussions on opportunities for dispatch consolidation and the sharing of a common NG911 system rather than each service procuring its own. While the continuation of these discussions became somewhat delayed as a result of COVID-19, consensus was reached amongst all LAM CAO’s to prioritize the opportunity for dispatch consolidation. Further to this, general agreement CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 7 ______exists with both SCFS and NFFS that fire dispatch services should be combined to a single regional service.

Despite the IBI report being completed in 2012, the general assessments and recommendations hold value today. The emergency service leaders are currently reviewing this document to determine if the recommendations that were made by IBI provide the necessary information to design a consolidated dispatch model for Councils and Boards to consider. It is anticipated that an update to this review will be provided before the end of Q1 2021. One key outstanding issue however is the confirmed location of the NRPS back-up communications centre.

NRPS Back-up Communications The original approved location of the NRPS/PPSAP back-up communications centre was to be located with the new NRPS District 1 facility currently nearing completion. Report CSD 04-2017 identified a preferred direction to develop a multi-user communication centre that would house primary or backup communications capacity for a variety of emergency-based users. The decision was made to not locate the back-up centre with the new District 1 facility but rather enter into discussions with appropriate parties to determine the best option for this type of communications centre.

One such opportunity was identified with the proposed construction of the Niagara EMS Hub. This new facility, proposed to house the EMS headquarters including the Niagara EMS dispatch centre, was identified as a feasible location to host the NRPS/PPSAP back-up centre. The co-location of dispatch services was to provide efficiencies in cost and operations and would be the start of dispatch consolidation. Unfortunately, the EMS Hub project has been deferred over several years, which now places pressures specific to timelines to implement NG911.

With the deadline of March 31, 2024, the NRPS back-up communications centre must be fully operational and NG-911 compliant no later than March 31, 2023. This requirement is to facilitate the necessary upgrades to the primary NRPS communications centre and for the training of dispatch staff to the new NG911 system.

Next Steps

1. The issuance of a contract for the Technological Infrastructure consultant will inform the NG911 Steering Committee of the recommended courses of action. A CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 8 ______

requisite of this work will be a determination of the degree of consolidation of the current dispatch services as well as the facilities plan for locating infrastructure.

2. The NG911 Steering Committee has created a working group to review the recommendations of the IBI report and bring forth to the Steering Committee a consolidation model for consideration, including preferred host locations.

3. No later than end of Q3 2021 recommendations specific to advancing a consolidated dispatch model including facilities, operations and governance will be provided to the Councils and Boards for consideration.

Alternatives Reviewed

With respect to the requirement to transition to NG911 as per the federal and provincial mandate, there are no alternatives to avoid this. Alternatives to the concepts introduced in this report do exist as to how this system may be implemented.

Status Quo

The option exists to leave the existing model of separate dispatch centres and separate technologies for each agency to procure and implement their own NG-911 solution. This is not recommended due to the costs associated with each service purchasing their own systems and the lack of integration and coordination of systems and services.

Contracted Service

As noted, the NRPS are the providers of 911 PPSAP services under contract with the Niagara Region. NG911 PPSAP services can be procured from other municipal agencies as well as private, for-profit companies. This is not recommended, as there is considerable community risk to contract this service to third party providers and would not offer economical advantages. This solution is not popular within Ontario.

Relationship to Council Strategic Priorities

The NG911 project and dispatch consolidation supports Council Strategic Priorities of fostering Healthy and Vibrant Communities through the delivery of quality, affordable and accessible emergency services. In addition, this model contributes to a Sustainable and Engaging Government with a high quality, efficient, fiscally sustainable and CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 9 ______coordinated core delivery of emergency dispatch services that is possible only through enhanced communication, partnerships and collaborations across agencies and governments.

Other Pertinent Reports

 CSD 07-2014 Public Safety Dispatch Review  PHD 02-2015 Emergency Services Dispatch Update  Memorandum C8253 Supplementary to PHD 02-2015  PHD-08 2015 Consolidated Emergency Services Dispatch  CSD-04 2017 NRPS 1 District Project Update

______Prepared by: Kevin Smith Chief, Niagara Emergency Medical Services & Director, Emergency Services Public Health & Emergency Services

______Recommended by: Todd Harrison, CPA, CMA Commissioner/Treasurer Corporate Services

______Submitted by: Ron Tripp, P.Eng. Chief Administrative Officer (Acting)

CSD 3 - 2021 January 13, 2021 Page 10 ______

This report was prepared in consultation with the Chiefs of Niagara Regional Police Services, St.Catharines Fire Services and Niagara Falls Fire Services