Esquimalt Fire and Rescue will find itself shopping for a new dispatch program in the new year, after the District of Saanich said continuing to provide that service to the Township would require a 100-per-cent cost increase.
In a letter to the municipality, chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson said the District has enjoyed a professional working relationship with Esquimalt for 11 years, providing fire dispatch services. However, Saanich is B次元官网网址渟ignificantly subsidizingB次元官网网址� the program to the tune of $96,165, or almost 50 per cent of the cost during 2017.
Esquimalt Fire Chief Chris Jancowski said Saanich gave notice it intended to raise the prices, but the number was still a shock.
B次元官网网址淲e knew weB次元官网网址檇 see a slight increase, but this is definitely a significant adjustment,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was quite alarming and [caught] us off guard.B次元官网网址�
There area number ofdispatch centres around B.C., including three in Greater Victoria (Langford, Saanich, Victoria).
Jancowski said one advantage to shopping elsewhere for dispatch services is that with the advance of technology, there are no geographical limitations on the contractorB次元官网网址檚 location for them to be able to work with Esquimalt.
The TownshipB次元官网网址檚 contract with Saanich expires at the end of 2017, as will the contracts the District holds with Colwood, North Saanich, Sidney and View Royal. In the meantime, Esquimalt has signed an extension of service with Saanich, costing just shy of $24,000 for the period from Jan. 1 until March 31, 2018.
B次元官网网址淲e did a one-year service renewal [in 2017] because there was at that time some conversation of getting everyone at the same level of expiry,B次元官网网址� Jancowski explained. However, Oak Bay and Central Saanich wonB次元官网网址檛 expire until some time further into 2018. The extension means there wonB次元官网网址檛 be a gap in customer service or public safety.
In January, the department will be moving forward B次元官网网址渧ery ferociouslyB次元官网网址� to look at options, Jancowski said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l sit down and talk to other clients and look at market conditions and see if weB次元官网网址檙e getting good value.B次元官网网址�
The conversation will happen collaboratively with council, as is protocol with other fire departments. Other Island dispatch centres are located in Nanaimo and Campbell River and on the mainland in Surrey, Kelowna and Prince George.
There is no word on potential bidders just yet.
