Police take action against 911 call misuse with new Ontario-wide campaign [Video]

Tying up phone lines by calling 911 for non-emergency issues like a broken TV or wrong restaurant order could mean the difference between life and death, according to a new campaign.

A new information campaign is pushing to educate Ontario residents about 911 misuse across the province – a problem police in Mississauga and Brampton have been dealing with for years.

From honest mistakes and pocket dials to people complaining about their coffee orders or playing cricket in a park, Peel Regional Police have been struggling with what’s been called the “blatant” misuse of the emergency line.

But the new “When Every Second Counts” campaign looks to educate Ontarians on when not to call 911 to make sure operators are free to assist in an actual emergency.

“9-1-1 is for life-threatening or health-related emergencies yet across the province, Ontarians continue to call 9-1-1 for everything from boredom, to a failed …