Council Approves 15-Year Fire Dispatch Contract with St. Catharines

Date: September 23, 2023

The County council has approved a 15-year agreement for fire dispatch services with the City of St. Catharines, securing long-term emergency communications support for the County’s fire department.

The newly approved contract, valued at $1,415,040, replaces an earlier five-year agreement that had been approved in the spring but later cancelled. Fire Chief Chad Brown explained in his report to council that the original contract was voided because the minimum contract length sought by vendors exceeded the timeframe outlined in the original tender.

According to Brown, service providers indicated a preference for longer-term agreements to help stabilize their workforce, particularly as increased staffing is required under new employment agreements. He noted that the successful proposal includes no price increases over the 15-year term related to population growth or increased call volumes. The annual cost of the contract remains within council-approved operating budgets.

The agreement also prepares the County for the federally mandated transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology, which must be in place by March 2025. The upgraded system will allow residents to send text messages, photos, and videos when contacting emergency services, rather than relying solely on voice calls. Many municipalities, including The County, are outsourcing NG911 services due to the high cost of implementation and maintenance.

St. Catharines has also recently secured similar dispatch service agreements with other municipalities in the region, including Quinte West. Belleville Fire and Emergency Services, which had provided dispatch services to Quinte West since 2020, is exiting the dispatch business and will be replaced by Peterborough in the coming year.

Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue consulted with the Hastings and Prince Edward County Mutual Aid Fire Chiefs during the process. St. Catharines was selected as the successful proponent to provide 15-year dispatch contracts to all Hastings County fire departments, with the exception of Belleville.

Brown noted that aligning dispatch services with neighbouring municipalities through a common dispatch centre will improve coordination during emergencies, strengthen mutual aid responses, and ensure efficient radio communications across departments.

Council formally approved the contract at its meeting, finalizing the long-term agreement.

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