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Nova Scotia 911 Dispatchers Warn of Frequent Delays, Outdated Maps, and Staffing Shortages

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N.S. 911 Dispatchers Say Delays Happen ‘All Too Often’

The union representing 911 dispatchers in Nova Scotia says emergency response delays — like the 40-minute wait for paramedics in a February Halifax incident — are far from isolated cases.

Jeff Callaghan, national director of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents Nova Scotia’s dispatchers, said short staffing, limited training, and an error-prone new dispatch system are making emergency response times dangerously slow.

“That process of people calling and then the ambulance not coming happens a lot,” Callaghan said. “It’s only because of the SIRT investigation that this one came to light. This happens very frequently.”

The February Incident

According to a Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) report, Halifax police responded to a call about a man in mental distress on Feb. 22 and requested an ambulance at 7:41 p.m.

Police believed paramedics were nearby and “staging” — waiting for clearance to enter — but no ambulance had actually been assigned.

An EHS supervisor was finally located around 8:20 p.m., and the ambulance arrived at 8:24 p.m., by which time the man was in cardiac arrest. He died at the scene.

The SIRT report described the delay as part of a broader communication gap between police and EHS dispatch systems, which operate separately at the municipal and provincial levels.

New Dispatch System Under Fire

Callaghan said a new dispatching system introduced in January 2025 has contributed to confusion.

“Staff were only trained for about half an hour before it went live,” he said.

Dispatchers also report that the system uses maps up to 10 years old, making it difficult to locate addresses in growing areas like Halifax.

“You can imagine how much growth there’s been in 10 years,” Callaghan said. “Sometimes staff can’t even find locations or ambulances arrive at the wrong address.”

Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC), which operates the system, said maps are updated monthly and that the software includes an AI component to analyze travel patterns and recommend resource deployment.

‘Calls Being Stacked’

Staff shortages at the 911 communications centre often mean calls get queued or “stacked”, with dispatchers prioritizing the most urgent cases.

“We’re told that what happened in February — calls being dropped or delayed — happens all the time,” Callaghan said.

Paramedics Also Facing Pressure

Kevin MacMullin, business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 727, said ambulance dispatch delays are sometimes due to low staffing, high call volumes, or offloading delays at hospitals.

“The communications should be seamless between officers on scene and any dispatch centre,” MacMullin said. “Technology should make that possible.”

He added that the February case deserves a formal investigation.

Company Response

EMC said in a statement attributed to Gordon Peckham, vice-president of operations, that the company is reviewing SIRT’s findings and working to improve communication between agencies.

It also noted that since January, EMC has hired more than 120 new medical communications officers, paramedics, and emergency responders.

But for frontline dispatchers like Callaghan, the challenges remain urgent.

“We just don’t have enough trained people in chairs,” he said. “And when the system doesn’t work, it’s patients who pay the price.”

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