Fire services decline invitation to join new WRPS communication centre
Posted Jul 3, 2025 11:13:39 AM.
Last Updated Jul 4, 2025 01:48:28 PM.
Regional police are in the process of planning the creation of their new state-of-the-art $173 million communications centre in Cambridge.
The Public Safety Communications Centre will look to improve the connection between residents of Waterloo Region and emergency response teams.
“The new facility will just be a way for us to optimize how we deliver 911 services to our community, and ultimately how we can coordinate resources between emergency response agencies as well,” said Jamie Brosseau, inspector with the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS). “We have needed this facility for probably more than 10 years now.”
As part of the project, WRPS invited paramedic services and fire departments across the region to join them at the centre to create a hub to respond to calls to 911.
More than 70 per cent of 911 calls are directed to police, and 10 per cent per intended for fire personnel. Right now, all 911 calls are funnelled through WRPS and downstreamed to the appropriate dispatcher.
Fire departments not interested at this time
According to Regional Councillor Sue Foxton, the CAOs of seven regional municipalities have penned a letter to WRPS to explain that they’re not interested in joining in on the communications centre at this time.
Foxton added that the Township of North Dumfries had recently invested in their own fire department.
Kitchener Fire Chief Bob Gilmore said his department also just made investments, particularly to it’s communications center. Gilmore told 570 NewsRadio, the decision was not his alone.
“It was the regional fire chiefs and regional CAO’s that came up with the decision.”
When asked if there is a possibility of Kitchener Fire joining in the future, Gilmore said absolutely!
“With changes to technology and changes to needs that change the way we do business perhaps, there’s always an opportunity to consolidate and move in with police. Just not in the foreseeable future.”
Brosseau and Chief of Police Mark Crowell explained that declining the invitation at this time doesn’t close the door for future opportunities for collaboration.
“When you take those agencies and you put those dispatch services together, what you get is the opportunity to give shape to emergency response at the time of call versus the time of response.”
The proposed and approved build is a 75,000 sq. ft., three-floor facility at the WRPS campus on Maple Grove Road. The facility is set to be completed by 2029.
