A higher 9-1-1 line on your phone bill is usually a government cost-recovery charge or a carrier’s emergency-access fee—not a charge for placing the call. Rogers says emergency calls from its wireless phones remain free. The amount depends on your province, municipality, carrier, plan and billing date.
What changed in 2026 and 2027
Several provinces have increased, or are scheduled to increase, the recurring charge collected with telephone service. These are monthly amounts per line, telephone number or outgoing access line, depending on the jurisdiction and provider.
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| Province | Published monthly amount | Effective date | Charge type and qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | $1.13 per line, up from $0.43 | October 1, 2026 | Provincial Emergency 911 Cost Recovery Fee. The increase is $0.70 per month, about 163%. |
| New Brunswick | Up to $2.59 | August 1, 2026 | Provincial fee listed by Rogers; Bell’s schedule also lists $2.59. “Up to” indicates that billing can depend on the provider and service. |
| Saskatchewan | Up to $2.22 | September 1, 2026 | Provincial fee listed by Rogers; customer eligibility can vary by plan and carrier. |
| Quebec | $0.55, indexed to $0.57 | $0.57 begins January 1, 2027 | Municipal 9-1-1 tax per telephone number or outgoing access line. Telephone providers collect and remit it through Revenu Québec. |
| Prince Edward Island | $0.70 | Not stated | Published carrier amount; schedule and eligibility can vary. |
| Alberta | $0.95 | Not stated | Published carrier amount; schedule and eligibility can vary. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $0.75 | Not stated | Published carrier amount; schedule and eligibility can vary. |
There is no single Canada-wide 9-1-1 rate. A carrier’s table is an operational billing reference, and providers can update it when a province changes its regulations or when a plan’s terms differ.
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Is the line item a tax or a carrier fee?
Government provincial or municipal charges
Provinces or municipalities set the charges used to recover the cost of emergency telecommunications. Quebec’s $0.55 municipal tax, for example, is imposed per telephone number or outgoing access line and collected by providers for Revenu Québec. Quebec reported $60.1 million collected in 2025; $58.9 million went to municipalities for emergency communication centres and the remainder covered administration.
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Carrier emergency-access fees
Rogers identifies its $0.75 “9-1-1 Emergency Access Fee” as a carrier charge, not a government fee or tax. A bill can therefore show the Rogers fee alongside a separate provincial or municipal government amount. Read the exact label and the province attached to each line instead of assuming every 9-1-1 item is the same charge.
Why are these amounts changing?
The CRTC approved Bell’s interim next-generation 9-1-1 retail rate of $0.10 per network access service or working telephone number effective March 1, 2022. The regulator explained that provincial 9-1-1 fees can fluctuate as governments recover the costs of moving from legacy enhanced 9-1-1 to next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).
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NG9-1-1 is designed for modern IP networks and supports the emergency system’s transition away from older infrastructure. The CRTC has specifically noted that provinces may adjust their fees in coming years to recuperate those transition costs.
Why your bill may not match the published amount
- Province and municipality: The service address, billing address or local emergency-service jurisdiction can determine which government charge applies.
- Carrier: Rogers, Bell and other providers may label, pass through or absorb charges differently.
- Plan start date: A new or grandfathered wireless plan may have different billing terms.
- Prepaid versus postpaid: Eligibility and collection methods can differ.
- Number of lines: A per-line or per-number fee multiplies across a family or business account.
- Effective date: The change may first appear on a bill covering only part of the month, depending on the provider’s billing cycle.
How to check a higher 9-1-1 charge
- Compare the new bill with the previous bill and identify the exact label, amount and number of lines affected.
- Check whether the line says “government,” “provincial,” “municipal,” “tax,” “911 access” or “emergency access.” Those descriptions indicate whether it is likely a pass-through government charge or a carrier fee.
- Confirm the province and, in Quebec, whether the amount is calculated per telephone number or outgoing access line.
- Open your carrier’s current fee schedule and look for the effective date that matches your bill. Treat the schedule as changeable rather than a permanent national rate.
- Ask the carrier to explain any amount above the published provincial figure, including whether it includes a separate carrier access fee or multiple lines.
- If the provider cannot reconcile the charge, request a written billing explanation and check the applicable provincial revenue or emergency-communications authority.
Does calling 9-1-1 cost extra?
No charge is added simply because you place an emergency call from a Rogers wireless phone; Rogers says those calls remain free. The recurring line item funds access to the emergency system and is billed with service, whether or not you make a 9-1-1 call. Other carriers’ policies and labels should be checked in their own terms.
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Which provinces have a 9-1-1 charge?
The published amounts covered here include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Their rates, effective dates and customer coverage are not interchangeable. A province may revise its schedule, and a carrier may show a different total when it combines a government charge with its own access fee.
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