In June, Trevor Mead-Robins, a resident of Whitehorse, faced intense pain and found himself making three attempts to connect with 911 operators from his home in the Copper Ridge area.
According to Mead-Robins, his first call was unsuccessful as the operator struggled to hear him and ended up rerouting the call out of town. He reported being asked to call back politely at that point.
He experienced another failed attempt to reach help, he recounted.
On his third attempt, he mentioned that the operator finally understood his location and needs.
However, Mead-Robins stated that he had to repeat his situation numerous times due to the operator’s ongoing difficulties in hearing him. The entire experience took roughly eight to nine minutes, instead of the expected one or two minutes.
“I was at a 10 out of 10 for pain,” he said. “I was in tears, and the added stress of trying to call for help was overwhelming.”
Long-standing complaints from Yukoners, both in rural areas and cities, highlight issues with unreliable calls, coverage gaps along major highways, and network degradation during peak times and emergencies.
Mead-Robins, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, uses Public Mobile as his cellular provider, a company owned by Telus. He expressed concern that someone in a critical situation might not receive timely assistance due to poor cellular reception and “dead zones” present throughout Whitehorse.
“My greatest fear is that the next person who calls may not be able to connect, which could lead to a tragedy or a more serious situation. Thankfully, I was able to make multiple calls, but it took far too long and too many attempts,” he remarked.
“This seems to be happening more frequently.”
Disconnected
Anne Lewis depends on reliable cellular service to keep her garden center in operation, and she is a Telus customer.
Last year, Lewis experienced a dropped 911 call while trying to get assistance for her father, who was unresponsive.
They were at Decora, the business operated by Lewis and where her father worked, located in the Hillcrest area near the Whitehorse airport.
“We were engaged in a breathing-counting exercise. By the end of it, the line had gone dead,” she shared.
When Lewis attempted to call back, she found that the line remained disconnected. Eventually, she was able to reconnect with an operator.
More than a year later, Lewis continues to seek assurance from the public regarding these issues.
“When I travel out of town and between communities, I fully understand that those services may become limited. That’s the reality and the risk we accept as residents of the North, and we adapt accordingly,” she stated.
“However, I definitely expect reliable service in Whitehorse.”
Critical concern
The Yukon RCMP indicated that dispatchers at their operations center have reported receiving “911 hang-ups,” where calls unexpectedly disconnect. However, police noted that the center does not track the specific reasons for these disconnections.
Potential causes include accidental hang-ups, misdialed numbers, entering a service “dead zone,” and network problems, according to the RCMP.
A representative from the Yukon Hospital Corporation did not provide comments regarding whether issues with 911 calls have impacted patients.
“As the only critical care provider in Yukon, we depend on the availability of telecommunications (including mobile service) and collaborate closely with Emergency Medical Services to ensure that the community can access hospital care when necessary,” the spokesperson mentioned.
A representative from the territorial Community Services department explained via email how 911 operates in Yukon, where telecommunications carriers handle the routing and interconnection of 911 calls from a caller’s device to an operator.
The process involves two carriers: the service provider for the caller and the local carrier, Northwestel, which is owned by Bell. The local carrier is responsible for directing the call to the public safety call center, which also addresses abandoned or disconnected 911 calls to evaluate them for emergency purposes.
The email further states that cellphone calls are subject to “dead zones and limitations.”
Yukoners are frustrated
Mead-Robins also operates MEADIAsolutions in Whitehorse. He noted that his business frequently encounters customers who are bewildered by cellular issues that often lie beyond their control.
“It’s well-known that the quality of cellphone service in many areas is not satisfactory,” he stated. “It seems to be a concern that is continuously being … overlooked.”
Two years ago, former premier Ranj Pillai contacted Bell expressing that “Yukoners are frustrated.”
Pillai urged major telecommunications companies like Bell, Rogers, and TELUS to enhance cellular services.
According to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services, complaints have surged nearly six times in the territory, rising from nine in 2023-24 to 60 in 2024-2025.
They bear the responsibility
Highways and Public Works Minister Linda Benoit and Economic Development, Tourism, and Culture Minister Jen Gehmair are also voicing concerns regarding inconsistent cellphone service.
Recently, the Yukon ministers sent letters to Bell CEO Mirko Bibic, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and the federal industry minister.
The letters detailed the Yukon government’s observations and complaints received.
In an interview, Benoit stated that cabinet ministers and other MLAs have been receiving “numerous” complaints about poor cellular reception, indicating that the issue is worsening.
-
Northwestel promises ‘detailed investigation’ into weekend outage, as business owners voice frustration
-
Yukoners frustrated by months of shoddy cell and internet service
-
Northwestel to be sold to Indigenous consortium from the 3 territories
“It’s not that we’re placing blame on Bell,” Benoit clarified. “However, they are the provider of cellphone infrastructure here in Yukon. Their infrastructure is what the mobile network relies on, and they are responsible for its maintenance, upgrades, and overall care.”
The recent correspondence to Bell demands acknowledgment of the problem, an explanation, and a plan for improving the network.
In their letter to the CRTC, the ministers inquire about what measures the federal telecommunications regulator can employ to enhance transparency and service.
The Yukon ministers are also seeking assistance from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the federal department overseeing cellphone towers, through Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. They aim to have federal support in tracking progress.
Complex and costly issues, Bell explains
A Bell representative stated via email that there are no records of 911 outages on the dates mentioned by CBC in June.
“Yukon’s 911 system relies on the traditional landline network to route emergency calls to 911 operators,” the email states. “In this case, the 911 service functioned as designed. Any issues would have pertained to wireless network coverage or connectivity in the area from which the call was made.”
Bell reported that it has invested $20 million in its wireless network in Yukon since 2019 to enhance speed and reliability.
The company mentioned ongoing discussions with the territorial government.
“Expanding the network in Yukon presents considerable challenges due to logistical complexities and high initial and long-term operational costs, stemming from the unique regional conditions,” it stated.
“Government funding can facilitate opportunities that would otherwise be impractical.”
Essential calls
A statement from the CRTC indicated that federal, territorial, and municipal governments, along with telecommunications service providers, are responsible for ensuring Canadians can access 911.
The CRTC oversees the service providers that connect 911 calls to first responders.
“The cellphone provider is accountable for transmitting the 911 call over its network where coverage exists and for delivering it to the Yukon 911 call center,” the statement elaborated. “The call center will verify the caller’s location and dispatch the appropriate emergency response.”
No notification of a 911 outage was received for the specified recent time period, according to the CRTC.
The CRTC mandates service providers to report 911 outages and is considering additional measures to enhance the network’s resilience and protect consumers during outages, although specific actions were not detailed in the emails.
It also mentioned that it is developing a standardized method for gathering and reporting cellphone coverage data to better identify areas with strong coverage and those in need of improvement.
Daniel Sokolov, a seasoned telecommunications journalist based in Whitehorse, noted that mobile companies in the territory share the same network.
Sokolov is uncertain why the situation seems to be deteriorating.
“First and foremost, Bell needs to acknowledge the issue,” he stated. “911 calls should always be prioritized.”
