People travelling the Alaska Highway can look forward to improved public safety with expanded access to 911 emergency services through five new roadside emergency call boxes.

“Access to 911 services is critical to ensure public safety on highways, especially in rural and remote regions of the province,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services. “We’re pleased to be able fund this project in partnership with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality to install new roadside emergency call boxes along the Alaska Highway corridor. As our government continues to work on improving connectivity along our highways, solutions like this ensure people will have access to vital services for personal safety.”

Residents and travellers in northeastern B.C. will benefit from expanded emergency services access through the installation of the call boxes at designated pullouts on sections of the Alaska Highway, also known as Highway 97, where cellular coverage is unavailable. The call boxes will be installed along the highway between Prophet River and Fort Nelson, and Fort Nelson and the Yukon border. Call boxes, an emergency telephone service, provide access to 911 service in remote areas without existing infrastructure to support wireless networks or cell-based services.

“The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Emergency Call Box Project is an excellent initiative that Deh Tai supports,” said Jim Hodgson, chief executive officer, Deh Tai Limited. “There are approximately 500 kilometres of Alaska Highway where there is no opportunity to contact emergency services while on the road. This impacts customers of our hospitality businesses, Liard Hot Springs Lodge and Fort Nelson Hotel, and individuals in our group companies working in remote locations on highways 97 and 77. We hope no one has to use the system, but we appreciate the establishment of these facilities for when the need arises.”

The Province has invested up to $107,000 through the Connecting British Columbia program, administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust. The investment will contribute toward the total project cost of up to $122,000. The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality contributed up to $15,000.

The Province’s investment is part of the StrongerBC initiative under B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan to build back a strong economy with a focus on inclusive growth for all communities.

In March 2022, the Province partnered with the federal government to provide as much as $830 million to expand high-speed internet services to underserved rural and First Nations communities.

The B.C. government’s commitment to support expansion of high-speed internet services to all communities by 2027 aims to level the playing field for British Columbians and ensure every community has better access to jobs, education, training and health care.

Quotes:

Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity –

“Access to a phone in an emergency is vital, and this supports our work underway to develop a multi-year action plan to help end gender-based violence. We've heard from rural and remote front-line services how essential connectivity is and we know when a person is a risk of being harmed, they need to be able to access help immediately.”

Gary Foster, mayor, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality –

“We are thrilled to announce the installation of five Roadside Emergency call boxes. This innovative, cost-effective solution will address a critical public safety concern in the region by increasing access to 911 service at strategic locations along the Alaska Highway. Moving forward, we will continue working with telecom service providers, Indigenous communities and other levels of government to encourage the rapid expansion of cell and broadband infrastructure in the Northern Rockies because we know how important this is to growing our economy, supporting tourism and improving access to health care.”

Joel McKay, chief executive officer, Northern Development Initiative Trust –

“Installing five emergency call boxes throughout the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality’s expansive region is a game changer for all those who live and travel in the area. The strategic placement of these satellite phones, including near two provincial parks, will significantly increase public safety through improved access to 911, saving valuable time in case of an emergency. This project aligns well with the Economic Recovery Intake phase of the Connecting British Columbia program by expanding connectivity along the Alaska Highway where cellular service is currently unavailable.”

Learn More:

Connectivity in B.C.: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/connectivity-in-bc

Northern Development Initiative Trust: https://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/funding-programs/partner-programs/connecting-british-columbia/

StrongerBC: BC's Economic Plan: https://strongerbc.ca/plan

A backgrounder follows.