News release
E-Comm and Richmond RCMP empower diverse communities to call 9-1-1 with confidence
February 26, 2026
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Richmond, British Columbia
From: Richmond RCMP
On this page
Content
New video highlights interpretation services and encourages non-English speakers to call 9-1-1 in an emergency
E-Comm and Richmond RCMP are reminding British Columbians that you do not need to speak fluent English to call 9-1-1.
In 2025 alone, E-Comm received 5,329 emergency calls requiring interpretation in 57 different languages. Of those calls, 26% required interpretation in Mandarin, 24% in Punjabi, and 12% in Cantonese. From Spanish, Farsi, and Arabic to Laotian, Lingala, and Luganda, the wide range of interpretation requests reflects the rich diversity of callers across British Columbia.
To help raise awareness, E-Comm and Richmond RCMP have released a new video offering practical tips to support non-English speaking family members, friends and neighbours in accessing emergency services through 9-1-1. Language should never be a barrier to getting help in an emergency.
E-Comm has access to a 24-hour interpretation service in more than 200 languages, which can typically be connected in less than a minute.
Transcript
Video description:
A video that encourages Richmond residents to learn specific English words when calling 911.
[Three vertical videos pop into the frame. The first frame shows a young lady pulling out her cell phone. The second frame shows an older man in his car. The third frame shows a woman picking up her home phone.]
“Help your non-English speaking family and friends feel confident calling 911 when they need help.”
[The three vertical videos switch to three new videos. The first frame is a close up on the young lady’s cell phone, she dials 911. The second frame shows the touch screen inside the older gentlemans car. The third frame is a close up on the pin pad of the woman's home phone, she dials 911.]
“Teach friends and family to learn the words, police, fire, and ambulance in English along with the English word for the language they speak.”
[We see a close up of the young woman talking on her cell phone, then we switch to a close up of the older gentleman in his car, talking through the car’s on-board calling function. Finally, we switch to see a close up of the woman talking on her home phone.]
[We switch to a wide shot of an RCMP officer talking in front of an RCMP cruiser.]
“Don’t let concerns about language skill keep you from calling 911.”
[Close up of the RCMP officer talking to camera.]
“Keywords are often all that’s needed for us to help.”
[We switch to a wide shot of a 911 operator at a call workstation.]
“Interpretation services are accessible 24 hours a day and available in more than 200 languages”
[Close up of 911 operator as she talks.]
“Stay on the line while an interpreter is quickly connected to the call.”
[We fade to the E-comm 911 logo with a white background.]
“Learn more at ecomm911.ca”
[A link to ecomm911.ca appears on the screen.]
[RCMP/GRC copyright notice appears]
[Government of Canada wordmark with a waving Canadian flag appears.]
Tips for calling 9-1-1 if English is not your first language
- Learn the English word for the language they do speak (e.g., learn to say “Mandarin”) in case an interpreter is needed. This will help speed up the process.
- Learn the words “police”, “fire” and “ambulance” in English.
- Encourage everyone to call 9-1-1 even if they speak little English—often this is all our call takers need to collect information and get help on the way.
- People should not be shy to try their English. Always dial 9-1-1 immediately in an emergency, rather than waiting for an English-speaking family member or neighbour.
- When requesting assistance in another language, do not hang up. Please stay on the line while our call-takers quickly connect with interpretation services.
“If you have a loved one who doesn’t speak English, it’s important to have the conversation about how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency that requires immediate assistance from police, fire, or ambulance,” says Carly Paice, Communications Manager at E-Comm 9-1-1 “When seconds count, 9-1-1 operators and emergency call takers are here to connect the public with first responders on the ground. Language should not be a barrier to someone calling 9-1-1 during a life or death situation like a crime in progress, fire or medical emergency.”
“Richmond is one of the most linguistically diverse communities in Canada, with roughly 70 percent of households reporting a mother tongue other than English or French,” says Sergeant Pak Yim, Richmond RCMP. “We want every resident to know that language should never be a barrier to getting emergency help. Our officers work every day with residents who speak many different languages, and are prepared to support callers through interpretation services whenever needed.”
No matter what language you speak, 9-1-1 is here to help.
Media Contacts:
Questions pertaining to E-Comm 9-1-1 should be directed to media@ecomm911.ca.
Questions pertaining to Richmond RCMP should be directed to richmond_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca