Letter dated October 7, 2015 from G. Logan, Chair, CREST, Re: Capital Region's Emergency Communications System

October 7, 2015

Dear Mayor and Council,

In the interest of keeping our shareholders informed and up-to-date on the Capital Region's emergency communications system, the following is a brief update on September's board meeting. This note is being sent as a result of feedback we've received that shareholders would like more information on CREST.

One of CREST's strategic plan priorities is to implement an acceptable long-term financial plan for shareholders that includes looking at our revenue sources. One of which is a service fee paid by the CRD for supporting 911 communications. The CRD collects a 911-call answer levy from telephone companies. A portion of it is transferred to CREST as a service fee. After ten years at the same level, we've asked the CRD for an increase on that fee. Funds would be used to offset user fee increases for the system upgrade.

Progress continues to deliver the new P25 network for the region, as well as the issuance of an RFP for the replacement of radios on the system. Evaluation committees from our four major groups (police, fire, ambulance, transit) recently meet separately to score the vendor responses. New pricing options on radio choices will be available for all CREST agencies towards the end of October. The competitive process secured pricing substantially lower than anticipated.

A short (3 1/2 minute) video, which describes the benefits of a unified public safety communications system, and the enhancements we will see on the new system, is available from the CREST website at http://www.crest.ca/publications/media/2015/hro-communications-system-upgrade-summer-2015. I urge you to view it at an upcoming council meeting.

Please feel free to let general manager Gord Horth at ghorth@crest.ca or myself know if you would like more information on the work of CREST.

Sincerely,

Gordie Logan, Chair CREST