This was a delicate proceeding for the CRTC, in that the competing application was from the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention for the number to be used for crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. At the end of the day, the CRTC was concerned about overlap and confusion between other N-1-1 codes.
The Commission considers that the services to which CASP proposed that the Commission assign the 5-1-1 code are already being provided or could be provided through 2-1-1 services.
There are a few conditions placed on the new phone code assignment. First, the CRTC is requiring that the service remains free of charge. Second, the Commission is requiring the 5-1-1 weather and travel service providers to track roll-out information, such as locations where the service is available, which service is available, and the number of calls. The Commission is also directing that these details be tracked separately for weather and traveller information. The intent is to ensure that there is broad usage of the code for the purposes set out in the application. Finally, the CRTC asked the service providers to track their public awareness campaigns.
The industry will have 6 months to implement the number change from the time a request is made. Watch for 5-1-1 to launch early in 2007.
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