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The City of St. Catharines joins Niagara Regional Police Services and emergency services across Ontario in the first-ever provincewide campaign tackling 911 misuse. The Emergency Services Steering Committee (ESSC) has launched the “When Every Second Counts” campaign aimed at reducing non-emergency 911 calls and educating the public on proper use of 911.
“911 is for life-threatening or urgent emergencies, yet we continue to see calls made for reasons ranging from minor inconveniences to non-emergency situations that can be handled through other channels,” said St. Catharines Fire Chief Dave Upper. “Calls for lost items, noise complaints, or even pocket dials take time away from real emergencies. It’s critical we ensure 911 lines remain open for those in urgent need.”
Across Ontario, emergency services report nearly half of all 911 calls are for non-emergencies, including accidental dials, hang-ups, and frivolous inquiries. Chief Upper said St. Catharines is committed to ensuring residents have access to the right information and resources.
“We’re helping to educate about when to call 911 and when to use non-emergency numbers, so emergency services remain available for those who truly need them,” he said.
As part of the “When Every Second Counts” campaign, residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with alternative phone numbers for non-emergency calls and general information, including:
- 905.684.4311 for St. Catharines Fire Services
- 905.688.4111 for Niagara Regional Police Services (St. Catharines)
- 905.688.5600 for the City of St. Catharines
- 905.980.6000 for the Niagara Region
Visit stcatharines.ca/ContactUs for a full list of contact information, including TTY numbers and multi-language interpretation support, to connect with City departments and more.
For more information about the “When Every Second Counts” campaign and resources on proper emergency call usage, visit www.wheneverysecondcounts.ca.
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