The Provincial Radio Communications Office of the Department of Justice and Public Safety is responsible for the implementation and operation of the province-wide radio system. The province is working with Bell to install and support the system across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Radio systems are an essential tool for emergency responders and other public service providers to perform their jobs effectively to protect the people of the province. The province-wide radio system will improve the way government and emergency responders — such as the RNC, RCMP, firefighters, paramedics and other public service providers — communicate with each other during emergencies.
Many first responders in the province are currently using separate radio communications systems that are nearing the end of their service life. This new system will help first responders communicate with each other more efficiently, connect responders more easily between jurisdictions, and lead to better response times.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is this system being implemented?
- What are the primary benefits of this system?
- How much will this cost?
- When is it expected to be operational?
- Why is it beginning on the Avalon?
- Why was Bell chosen?
We are the only province without this style of province-wide radio system. Research into this system has been ongoing for quite some time and has impacts across a number of government departments and agencies. This will be important to public safety to ensure the province is in line with other jurisdictions in providing the best possible communications system to keep the people of the province safe.
The province-wide radio system is a public safety standard used worldwide. The interoperable system is designed to allow for communications between all agencies operating radios on the system. It allows for multi-agency communications when responding to incidents. (I.e. fire, medical and police personnel can communicate with each other on scene.)
The Provincial Government is investing over $181.8 million over the next 12 years to support the province-wide radio system. As well, a portion of the system cost will be reimbursed through subscriber fees to the province from federal departments, agencies, some municipalities, and some private sector.
As of March 2023, the network is operational on the Avalon Peninsula. Members of the RCMP and RNC in the region are migrating over to the new system and will be using the new system as of April 11. Eastern Health ambulance services will be moving to the new network in the coming months followed by other Avalon Peninsula users. The remaining users across the Province will begin to transition to the system in the summer of 2024.
This is being done for operational reasons. Infrastructure requirements to support the system were completed on the Avalon Peninsula in March 2023. Infrastructure requirements to support the system across the remainder of Newfoundland and Labrador will be complete be in spring of 2024.
The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure engaged EY as technical and procurement advisor to assist in the preparation of the RFQ and engaged RFP Solutions as fairness advisor to oversee the procurement process. Three submissions were received and all three proponents were evaluated and based on the evaluation results, Bell was the only proponent compliant with the requirements of the RFQ to advance to the RFP stage.
Independent fairness, technical and procurement advisors have been monitoring and guiding the process to ensure Bell Mobility’s proposal meets the specifications of the RFP and is a responsible use of taxpayer money for any contract that may be awarded.
News
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Provincial Government to Modernize Public Safety Radio System
Contact
Provincial Radio Communications Office
Public Safety Infrastructure Division
45 Majors Path – 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6
Telephone: 1-709- 729-7906
Email: PWRS@gov.nl.ca