MHA questions plan to fold N.L.'s 911 board into Justice Department

As the Newfoundland and Labrador government prepares to fold the province's independent emergency 911 board into the Department of Justice, an opposition MHA and the board itself have doubts about the plan.

Mount Pearl-Southlands MHA Paul Lane says he's worried that if the service is folded into government, rather than remaining independent, the fees collected to maintain and upgrade the servicewill simply be added to general provincial revenue.

"In essence, what we [would] have is instead of an enhanced 911 fund we just simply have another government tax no different than a carbon tax, or a gas tax or anything else," Lane saidTuesday.

"It's just more money being collected by the provincial government going into general revenues that they can spend on whatever they see fit."

Telephone users pay 75 cents each month per phone line for a 911 service fee. The money is set aside for the purpose ofupgrading the service in the future. Lane figures there's been about $20 million collected since the board was established in 2015.

On Tuesday, new legislation to fold the service into the Justice Department Bill 41 is expected to get its second reading in the House of Assembly and then be open for debate.

Justice Minister John Hogan said Tuesdaythe department is mandated to continue a 911 service and the fees will be used as intended: to upgrade the service astechnology advances.

"The money will be used for that, mandated to be used for that. I've committed to that, the government has committed to that and we've committed to the next generation 911 service, which will not be ready until at least 2025," he said.

Hogan said fees will continue to be collected for that purpose but will also be used for broadening the scope of the service from telephones to an overall emergency servicethat includes public radio.

Becoming efficient

Bringing NL911 into the Department of Justice is about becoming more efficient, said Hogan, by bringing it into the same department that oversees other emergency and safety services, such as police, firefighters and search and rescue teams.

"Obviously, every second matters when an emergency happens. We want to make sure we have that second and to work together with all the things that exist in the emergency services branch right now," he said.

The NL911 board itself has doubts about the plan. In a March 15 media release, the board said itsmembers have not been provided with any details and are not confident theservice will continue to have dedicated funding or that plans for enhancements will not be jeopardized.

"NL911board of directors are concerned that this move will not be in the best interest of the operations of the provincewide 911 service and the implementation of planned enhancements in the future," reads the release.

Lane likewise is skeptical that folding the service into the department will improve service.

"Right now you have an entity whichis solely focused on 911 for our province," he said.

"Once you sort of scrap the board and it just goes as a lined division within the Department of Justice, will that same focus and desire to move things quickly still exist or will it get lost in the shuffle? It's just one issue in a number of priorities within the department."

Possible fee increase

Lane is also concernedthat the 75-cent fee will increase, even thoughNL911 has said it's enoughso far to maintain the currentbasic 911 service while building the reserveto pay for futureenhanced services.

Hogan told reporters the fee will be reviewed.

"We're not sure exactly how much the next generation 911 program will cost, sowhen the money does come inwe'll evaluate it, we'll work withCRTC to see what the cost will be," he said.

"If the fee is too much we'll look at it. If it's not enough we'll look at it."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador