Messages of accomplishment, appreciation for the dedication of E-Comm’s staff and partners and planning for the future were highlighted in E-Comm Board Chair Doug Campbell’s speech to the organization’s Annual General Meeting held June 20 in the lobby of the organizations emergency communications centre in Vancouver.
From readying the new 9-1-1/police dispatch centre in Saanich to completing all the agency transitions to the new next generation radio system, 2018 was a year of new beginnings for the company.
On the completion of the new South Island 9-1-1/Police Dispatch Centre, Campbell says “a project this multifaceted takes years of planning and work, and I’d like to thank our staff and our Vancouver Island partners for their extraordinary effort in conceiving, building and opening the centre.” He also praised our Technology and Wireless teams and police, fire and ambulance partners for their efforts in wrapping up the Next Generation Radio Project in 2018 and shutting down the legacy network.
Find out more about E-Comm’s 2018 highlights in the company’s annual report.
Vancouver, B.C. — E-Comm, Emergency Communications for British Columbia Incorporated, is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 Board of Directors. The announcement follows its Annual General Meeting, held at the organization’s Lower Mainland emergency communications centre today.
“From readying a new consolidated 9-1-1/police dispatch centre on southern Vancouver Island to approving our new strategic plan, (a)SPIRE 2025, 2018 was a year of new beginnings for E-Comm,” said Oliver Grüter-Andrew, E-Comm President and CEO. “As we celebrate our 20th year of operations, we look forward to continuing to enhance our efforts to deliver top-quality public safety communications services to first responders and the citizens of British Columbia.”
E-Comm’s Board of Directors includes elected officials, representatives of emergency services and the provincial government, in addition to municipal staff and local community and business leaders.
2019-2020 E-Comm Board of Directors
Name
Position
Nominated By
Doug Campbell
Board Chair & Independent Director
Brent Asmundson
Director
Cities of Coquitlam, Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Village of Belcarra
Dan Copeland
Director
City of Delta / Delta Police Board
Bill Dingwall
Director
Metro Vancouver and TransLink
Barry Forbes
Independent Director
Lori Halls
Director
Province of British Columbia
Lois Karr
Director
RCMP
Anne Kinvig
Independent Director
Warren Lemcke
Director
Vancouver Police Board
Neil Lilley
Director
BC Emergency Health Services
Gayle Martin
Director
Cities of Langley, Surrey and White Rock, Township of Langley
Jack McGee
Director
Independent Police Boards (Abbotsford, New Westminster, Port Moody, Transit Police, West Vancouver)
Bill McNulty
Director
City of Richmond
Paul Mochrie
Director
City of Vancouver
Mike Morden
Director
Cities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows
Denise Nawata
Independent Director
Mark Sieben
Director
Province of British Columbia
Richard Walton
Director
City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, Village of Lions Bay
Terry Waterhouse
Director
Cities of Surrey, Langley and White Rock, Township of Langley
The Board provides governance to E-Comm and is responsible for overseeing the Corporation’s strategic direction, finances and operating results. Management is accountable to the Board of Directors for the day-to-day operations and administration of the Corporation.
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About E-Comm
E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley. In 2018, E-Comm handled nearly 1.6 million 9-1-1 calls in B.C.
E-Comm began its public safety journey when it started answering 9-1-1 calls and providing dispatch services for police and fire departments on June 7, 1999. E-Comm now operates two 9-1-1 call centres and is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts across B.C. We also own and operate the largest multi-jurisdictional radio network of its kind in the province. All police agencies, 15 fire departments and B.C. Emergency Health Services in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford use the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network to communicate their essential messages.
Here’s a look at other numbers that show the growth of E-Comm’s services over the last two decades.
In 1999 we started with 177 employees in one location. Today, we are a team of more than 650 in four locations.
In 1999, we were the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in two regional districts in B.C. Today, we’re the Public Safety Answer Point for 25 regional districts.
In 1999, we dispatched for eight agencies. Today, we are now providing dispatch services for 73 police and fire agencies.
In 1999, the E-Comm radio system had 1,300 radios. Now, police officers, fire fighters and ambulance paramedics in the Lower Mainland are actively communicating on some 7,000 next-generation radios.
As E-Comm marks 20 years of service, we extend a big thank you to our past and current staff, partners, board members and stakeholders. We’re working together to help save lives and protect property in B.C.
The official opening of the new South Island 9-1-1/Police Dispatch Centre
The completion of E-Comm’s latest fire dispatch transitions as we welcome fire departments from the Fraser Valley and North Okanagan regional districts
Our new wellness manager and certified therapy dog – a unique initiative to support emergency call takers and dispatchers
Emergency dispatchers, nurses and publicly funded health-care assistants will have easier access to workers’ compensation for mental-health disorders that come from work-related trauma.
Regulatory changes that take effect on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, make this possible. “These changes to the Mental Disorder Presumption Regulation are about fairness and support for workers who experience higher-than-average mental harm due to the jobs they do on behalf of British Columbians,” said Harry Bains, B.C. Minister of Labour.
“This is good news for B.C.’s emergency call takers and dispatchers,” said Oliver Grüter-Andrew, E-Comm President and CEO. “There is no doubt that, day in and day out, our people can experience high levels of emotional stress, as they work to save lives and support police and firefighters. They are the first contact for people experiencing trauma and that is often traumatic for them, as well.”
See the B.C. Government news release for more details.
Oliver Grüter-Andrew, CEO of E-Comm at the podium. Left to right: Senior Provincial Executive Director Neil Lilley from BC Emergency Health Services, E-Comm dispatcher Nicolas Germain and B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains. Photo: Province of B.C.
