Calgary's 911 centre hits record 1M calls in 2025 amid rising demand

Calgary’s 911 emergency call centre handled over one million calls in 2025. The service also supported more than 18,000 community peace officer events during the year. Staff reassured the public of their commitment, even during peak demand. Call volumes rose by four per cent compared to 2024. Around 2,000 of these were redirected to 211 for non-emergency support and crisis services.

The centre reported a growing need for language services due to Calgary’s increasing diversity. Processing such calls can take up to three times longer than standard requests.

Mental health support remains a priority for the centre. Clinicians are available for all emergency communication officers, and scheduled breaks are encouraged. These measures follow lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Former employee Evan Birch previously highlighted the mental strain caused by exposure to graphic cases. The centre continues to adapt to rising demand and changing community needs. Language services and mental health resources are now key parts of its operations. These steps aim to maintain service quality for both callers and staff.