Shifting fire dispatch to Surrey could prove costly, Atwell says
Municipalities supporting move have no idea of expenses involved with connecting to CREST radio system, mayor contends
A move by five local municipalities to have Surrey handle fire dispatch may prove more difficult and costly than it appears, says Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell.
“As they are going over to Surrey, there are some technological obstacles that, I think, are going to increase the tax bill for those residents,” Atwell said Wednesday.
Colwood, Esquimalt, View Royal, North Saanich and Sidney have been paying Saanich to provide fire dispatch service.
But this week, they all rejected new higher fees proposed by Saanich and opted instead to have emergency fire-dispatch services handled in Surrey.
The five municipalities say they expect to collectively save $1.5 million over five years compared with the rates Saanich had proposed.
But Atwell said the five have no idea of the extra costs of connecting Surrey dispatch with the local CREST emergency radio system.
He noted that Saanich has the contract for computer-aided connection to CREST — the radio system used by first responders such as police, ambulance and fire.
“By going to Surrey, there’s no connection to the CREST system and CREST has absolutely no idea what it’s going to cost them or those municipalities to connect to Surrey dispatch,” Atwell said.
“Generally, this is bad for the region by splitting it up. I think when clients go elsewhere and find a cheaper deal, I think it’s a short-term saving only.”
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said fire officials have assured her that there will be no substantive issues connecting with the CREST system and that the additional costs will be marginal compared with the savings.
Staff reports from the five municipalities ballpark the additional cost to ensure connectivity with CREST at about $175,000.
Colwood Coun. Gordie Logan, CREST chairman, did not anticipate any significant issues with the change, especially as CREST migrates to a new digital radio platform.
“That’s going to be one of the tasks that we’re going to have to do … figure out and nail down exactly what’s required and what the costs are,” Logan said. Even if the migration cost was a $250,000, the municipalities would still save money by going to Surrey, he said.
Several mayors said they had tried to negotiate lower rates with Saanich for fire dispatch, but there was no movement.
Atwell said there is no question the departure of the five municipalties will mean lost revenue for Saanich.
“I think in the long haul splitting this up is going to be much more expensive for everybody, including Saanich,” Atwell said.
He said his municipality has invested heavily in improvements for the dispatch centre. “We’ve invested a lot in our service over several years. It’s been done at a cost to our clients that’s been essentially a subsidy to them.”
Saanich and Victoria last year announced an agreement in principle to create a “regional” fire dispatch. The Vancouver Island Emergency Dispatch Corporation was to be jointly owned by the municipalities and begin operating in 2019.
Atwell said Saanich’s hope was to work with Victoria to put together a corporation for fire dispatch that would have reduced costs over time. The long-term concept was to make clients shareholders of the corporation.
But with five municipalities saying they are going with Surrey, Victoria will have to consider its options, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said.
Helps said that Victoria’s agreement with Saanich was made on the understanding that Saanich’s municipal clients would also be on board.
The decision of the five municipalities to have fire dispatch handled in Surrey has no impact on the new $16-million Capital Regional District 911 call centre being built on Commerce Circle. That call centre is focused on police dispatch.