Bradford West Gwillimbury Joins First-Ever Provincewide Campaign to Combat 9-1-1 Misuse

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has joined the first-ever provincewide campaign to tackle 9-1-1 misuse, an issue that continues to strain emergency services. The Emergency Services Steering Committee (ESSC) has launched the "When Every Second Counts" campaign aimed at reducing non-emergency 9-1-1 calls and educating the public on proper use of 9-1-1.

“9-1-1 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,” saidBWG Fire and Emergency Services Chief Michael Rozario. “Calls for lost items, noise complaints, or even pocket dials take resources away from real emergencies. It’s critical that we ensure 9-1-1 lines remain open for those in urgent need.”

Graphic image that says "clear the line" and gives a web link to visit

In 2024, South Simcoe Police received a total of 68,481 emergency and administrative phone calls, of which:

• 28,534 were calls for service,
• 9,840 were 9-1-1 emergency calls,
• 1,527 were 9-1-1 non-emergency calls, including misdials,
• 1,676 were 9-1-1 calls transferred to other emergency services.

Across Ontario, police services report that nearly half of all 9-1-1 calls are for non-emergencies, including accidental dials, hang-ups, and frivolous inquiries.

Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services is committed to ensuring our residents have access to the right information and resources,” said Fire Chief Michael Rozario. “By participating in this campaign, we are helping provide education on when to call 9-1-1 and when to use non-emergency numbers, so that emergency services remain available for those who truly need them.”

As part of the "When Every Second Counts" campaign, residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with alternative non-emergency numbers such as Simcoe Police Service’s non-emergency line (705) 436-2141 or (905) 775-7311 and press 0 for Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services.

“Our 9-1-1 system is a critical lifeline for those facing real emergencies—every second counts when someone’s life or safety is on the line. When people use 9-1-1 for non-urgent matters, it ties up vital resources and delays response times for those who truly need immediate help. I urge everyone in our community to use 9-1-1 responsibly, so our first responders can focus on the most serious incidents without unnecessary delays.”— Mayor of Bradford West Gwillimbury, James Leduc.

For more information about the campaign and resources on proper emergency call usage, visit www.wheneverysecondcounts.ca

ABOUT ESSC
The Emergency Services Steering Committee (ESSC) is a joint committee of the municipalities that comprise the Big City Mayors of Ontario (BCMO), the Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO), and the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards (OAPSB). Our membership consists of Chief Administrative Officers and City Managers from regions and municipalities involved in emergency services and municipal budgets, providing advocacy, background information, and research on emergency service costs.