Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Dan Derby (Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia (FCABC))
Gatineau, 2 October 2025
Our reference: 8000-C12-202306407
BY EMAIL
Dan Derby, ECFO
President
Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia (FCABC)
6059 – 190 Street
Surrey, BC, V3S 8A4
admin@fcabc.ca
Subject: Request for Direction on 9-1-1 Call Handling from Satellite and IoT Devices
Dear Mr. Derby,
Thank you for your letter to the CRTC’s General Inquiries, dated 2 September 2025, which was forwarded to me in my role as a senior director in the Telecommunications Sector. The CRTC acknowledges the importance of 9-1-1 and will continue to support 9-1-1 services within its mandate.
As you know, the CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record. Federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as telecom service providers (TSPs), all play a role in ensuring that Canadians can access 9-1-1 services.
The CRTC’s role is to regulate the TSPs that connect 9-1-1 calls to 9-1-1 call centres such as E-Comm 911. CRTC staff has been closely following the developments of emerging satellite-to-mobile technologies, including text-based 9-1-1 messaging services over satellite, and their potential benefits to Canadians. We also take note of ISED’s February 2025 Decision on the Policy, Licensing and Technical Framework for Supplemental Mobile Coverage from Space (SMCS).
Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns with us. I will reach out to you to set up a meeting to discuss these important issues.
Yours sincerely,
Original signed by
Noah Moser
Acting Director General, Costing and Regulatory Implementation
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
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