Today, November 19th, Peel Regional Police released new data that shows 9-1-1 call wait times decreased by approximately 80% in 2024.
This significant decrease can be attributed to support from the Region of Peel and Peel Police Service Board, public education campaigns on the misuse of 9-1-1, investments in new technology such as Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1), and the dedicated of our 9-1-1 communicators. These efforts have also resulted in a 92% increase in calls being answered within 15 seconds compared to last year.
Earlier this year, Peel Regional Police made history as the first large Public Safety Answering Point in Canada to implement NG 9-1-1, with funding support from the federal and provincial government. The new system, which will be implemented in phases over multiple years, enables community members to connect faster with first responders during emergencies. This includes a new feature, the Automated Abandoned Call-Back system, which provides the caller with clear instructions to acknowledge if the call was a misdial or an emergency. To date, the system has processed over 75,000 hang-up calls.
We would like to continue to remind members of our community of when to call the non-emergency line vs. 9-1-1:
- Emergency (911) should be called in emergency situations such as life threatening situations or crimes that are in progress. This line directs you to police, fire or ambulance services.
- Non-Emergency (905-453-3311) should be called to report incidents that are non-urgent or non-life-threatening, such as reporting a crime with a delay (e.g. that occurred last night) or reporting a crime with no suspect.
