New Public Safety Radio Service

Nova Scotia and MT&T today announced an agreement to create a new provincewide public safety radio service.

The service will build on Nova Scotia's strength in emergency response by replacing the existing 20-year-old Nova Scotia Integrated Mobile Radio System.

The new public safety radio service will provide digital mobile radio communications for the RCMP and a variety of government departments. In addition, a number of public safety groups such as the Department of Health's Emergency Health Service, volunteer fire departments and Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue will use the service.

"For the first time ever, emergency agencies will be able to seamlessly communicate with each other," said Premier Russell MacLellan.

"The new system provides emergency response personnel with world-class communications tools, enabling them to respond faster, more effectively," he said. "Nova Scotia has one of the best emergency response capabilities in the world. We have a superior ambulance service, highly skilled ground search and rescue personnel, and outstanding emergency measures services. We want to build on these strengths and provide our professionals with the communications tools they require. The safety of Nova Scotians is too important to do anything less."

The new public safety radio service will also support public works agencies with mobile radio communications in the field.

"This public safety radio service will enhance communications for a wide variety of the province's field services," said Colin Latham, president and CEO of MT&T. "It will enable public safety agencies to better communicate among themselves as well as improve the safety of personnel in the field. Delivering this new public safety radio service is another example of MT&T's commitment to enhancing the lives of Nova Scotians."

The network will be managed and operated by MT&T Mobility. The system will be a shared government-commercial platform.

"Government is the priority anchor tenant for this new system," said Mr. Latham. "The service will also be available to commercial users such as transport, courier and forestry companies, but we will ensure that emergency response users have the highest priority on the system. Public safety organizations need quality communications tools to do their jobs -- that's what's most important."