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911 dispatcher and emergency medical dispatcher: role, training, salary

The 911 call-taker transfers the call, the emergency medical dispatcher sends the ambulance. The two laws, the 765-hour training and the posted salaries.

October 10, 2026 · Lire en français

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In Quebec, before the paramedic gets an assignment, two people have handled the call. The first, the 911 call-taker, answers. The second, the emergency medical dispatcher, assesses the call and sends the ambulance. "911 dispatcher" covers two jobs, two employers and two laws. This text applies to women and men alike.

Two jobs, two laws

The 911 emergency centre falls under the Loi sur les centres de communications d'urgence (chapter C-8.2.1). Since the 2024 reform, this is the name of the part of the former Civil Protection Act that governed 911. Section 1 defines the 911 emergency centre: it receives the call, determines the nature of the emergency and transfers it to the appropriate secondary centre, meaning the dispatch of a fire department, of a police force or a health communication centre.

911 is a municipal responsibility. Under section 3, a local municipality sets up its own centre, makes an agreement with another municipality or contracts the service out to a private company or a non-profit organization. The minister issues the centre a certificate of compliance valid for five years (section 10).

The health communication centre falls under the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2). Section 22 gives it the task of receiving calls from a 911 emergency centre, processing and prioritizing them according to protocols, then assigning and dispatching pre-hospital resources. In Montreal and Laval, these functions are carried out by Urgences-santé, the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval (section 90).

	911 call-taker	Emergency medical dispatcher
Workplace	911 emergency centre	Health communication centre
Law	Chapter C-8.2.1	Chapter S-6.2
Role	Answer, determine the nature of the emergency, transfer	Prioritize the call, assign and track the ambulance
Responsible body	Local municipality	Centre recognized by Santé Québec, or Urgences-santé

From the 911 call to the ambulance

The regulation on standards for 911 emergency centres (chapter C-8.2.1, r. 1) sets the pace. The service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with at least 2 call-takers on duty at all times (section 12). On a monthly basis, emergency calls are answered in less than 10 seconds in at least 90% of cases (section 15). The average time to forward a call to the secondary centre is 60 seconds or less (section 14).

The transfer to health services follows a protocol that the health communication centre sets with each 911 centre in its territory (chapter S-6.2, section 24). The health communication centre then uses a call processing and prioritization system approved by Santé Québec or by the minister (section 25). Its assignment decision binds the ambulance company (section 23). Depending on the case, a first responder is also sent to the scene.

Training

The regulation requires no specific diploma for 911 call-takers. Section 29 requires initial training given under the centre's training plan, then continuing education of at least 14 hours a year.

Public cégeps offer an AEC (attestation of college studies), Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence, code JCC.13, lasting 765 hours. It prepares for both jobs: primary centre (911) or secondary centre (police, health, fire). Inforoute FPT, consulted October 10, 2026, lists one at Collège Montmorency, in Laval. The College's information booklet for group 976 gives these details:

Training from March 23 to November 20, 2026, or 32 weeks full time, during the day
12 credit courses and a workplace internship
Hybrid format, with most courses in person in Laval
Additional fees of $169.16 per semester, or $507.48 for the three semesters, plus $30 to open a file
Certificate of good conduct required for admission

Urgences-santé does not require this AEC. Its careers page, consulted October 10, 2026, asks for a high school diploma, one year of experience in customer service, emergency communications, public safety, transport dispatch or health, and perfect command of French and English. The specialized training is paid, lasts 75 days and leads to an international certification.

Salary

Urgences-santé posts two ranges. Its careers page shows $23.37 to $28.74 an hour depending on recognized experience in an emergency call centre. Its job posting from March 2 to 22, 2025 shows $23.37 to $33.78 an hour depending on recognized experience. Evening, night and weekend premiums are added, with no amount posted.

Job Bank classifies the 911 dispatcher under NOC 14404, the code for dispatchers. Its wages, updated November 19, 2025 for the 2023-2024 reference period, cover the whole code, which also includes truck and taxi dispatch.

Quebec, NOC 14404	Hourly wage
Low	$20.25
Median	$28.50
High	$38.50

Collège Montmorency, in its 2026 booklet, puts the pay for the job at about $20 to $27 or more an hour depending on experience and sector. To compare with field work, see a paramedic's salary. This text is neither legal advice nor union advice.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I become a 911 dispatcher?

The regulation imposes no specific diploma. It requires initial training given by the centre (section 29). The AEC Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), 765 hours long, prepares you for the job at a public cégep. Urgences-santé asks for a high school diploma, one year of relevant experience and bilingualism, then trains its recruits for 75 days.

What is a 911 dispatcher's salary?

Job Bank gives a median wage of $28.50 an hour for Quebec, between $20.25 and $38.50, for NOC 14404 (update of November 19, 2025). For emergency medical dispatchers, Urgences-santé posts $23.37 to $28.74 an hour on its careers page and up to $33.78 in its March 2025 posting.

What is the average salary of a dispatcher?

Job Bank publishes a median wage, not an average: $28.50 an hour in Quebec for all dispatchers under NOC 14404, 2023-2024 reference period. The median shown is $28.85 in Capitale-Nationale and $26.00 in Montérégie.

Where can I find online training to become a 911 dispatcher?

The Cégep Beauce-Appalaches describes its AEC Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), 765 hours long, as online training in its December 2022 leaflet. On October 10, 2026, however, Inforoute FPT only lists the Collège Montmorency group, offered in hybrid format. Check with the Cégep whether an online group is open.

Where can I find 911 jobs?

911 is a municipal responsibility. Call-taker positions are therefore posted by the municipality that runs the centre, or by the company or non-profit organization it has contracted the service to (chapter C-8.2.1, section 3). Emergency medical dispatcher positions are in health communication centres. For Montreal and Laval, Urgences-santé posts them on its emergency call centre careers page.