The Emergency 911 System Regulations, established under the Emergency 911 System Act, outline the operational framework for the Sask911 service in Saskatchewan. This legislation mandates that all telecommunications customers in the province pay a Sask911 fee. The regulations define several key terms, including “customer,” which refers to any individual or entity with a telephone number in Saskatchewan capable of placing emergency 911 calls. “Telco” denotes the telecommunications companies providing local services that facilitate access to the public switched telephone network for 911 connectivity. The “Consumer Price Index (CPI)” is the annual average for Saskatchewan, published by Statistics Canada, and is used to adjust the Sask911 fee annually. The “fee period” is the timeframe from August 1 of one year to July 31 of the following year.

Customers are required to pay a monthly Sask911 fee that adjusts based on changes in the CPI. The adjusted fee is calculated by determining the annual CPI change and applying it to a defined base fee. Notably, if the CPI decrease is below zero, the fee adjustment is treated as zero. Telecommunications companies (telcos) must charge and remit this adjusted fee monthly to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), regardless of whether they have collected the fees from customers. They are also required to provide a statement detailing the number of working lines and associated fees.

Telecommunication companies must register with the minister and submit any necessary information, with new telcos required to register at least 30 days before they begin collecting fees. Additionally, telcos are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of customer fee information and may retain a small administration fee of $0.07 per month for each line or telephone number billed.

Entities involved in the Sask911 system must adhere to guidelines set by the minister regarding the system’s development and operational requirements, with the SPSA responsible for disseminating these guidelines to relevant parties. The specific fees for local telephone services are outlined in Table 1 of the regulations, charging $2.08 per working line or telephone number per month for residential, business, and wireless services.

The new regulations repeal the previous Sask911 Fees Regulations, 2003. The Emergency 911 System Regulations provide a legal framework that is intended to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the Sask911 service in Saskatchewan. 

Saskatchewan (E-7.3 Reg7) July 7, 2023