By Canadian Press

Alberta plans to increase 911 fees in September and change municipal spending

Mar 12, 2021 | 9:41 AM

EDMONTON – Albertans could see an increase in the 911 fee on their cellphone bills in September to pay for eventual upgrades to the emergency system that would allow texting for help.

A bill called the Local Measures Act has been introduced in the legislature by Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver.

It deals with both capital spending for municipalities and would modernize the emergency 911 system across the province by 2024.

A 911 fee hike to 95 cents a month from 44 cents would raise about $41 million annually, up from the current $17 million.

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The additional money would go toward nine secondary 911 centres in addition to 20 primary ones already funded through the cellphone levy.

The secondary centres would also be regulated by the new legislation.

Municipalities in the province will receive an average of $722 million per year in capital funding under the Municipal Sustainability Initiative over the next three years – $1.2 billion in 2021-22, $485 million in 2022-23 and $485 million in 2023-24.

Government says the funding is front-loaded and can be spread out over five years so local governments have the flexibility to plan according to their needs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2021.

The Canadian Press