What happens if you call 911 and get put on hold?

In many places across Canada, outdated 911 systems are strapped for operators and barely holding on to functionality. That has led to some people calling with emergencies—like a Brampton, Ont. family dealing with a home invasion—not being able to get through to an operator. It should go without saying that if 911 doesn’t work properly, lives are at risk. Yet here we are.

Graeme Frisque is a reporter with the Mississauga Guardian and Brampton News, he says that 911 delays have become a hot-button issue in recent years. “People are pretty upset about it, and rightfully so,” says Frisque.

So how do we modernize and adequately staff Canada’s most critical phone number?

You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.