OFA submits comments to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding coordinating the consistent application of the What3Words application across emergency services in Ontario. The landscape of rural and remote areas naturally presents significantly greater uncertainty for pinpointing the location of an emergency incident when compared to urban areas. When precious moments can make all the difference in an emergency situation, we believe it is vital to use all the tools and technology at hand to increase accuracy and reduce response time for emergency services. The What3Words (www.what3words.com) application (app) divides the world into three metre by three metre squares and gives each square a unique combination of three words. Using words rather than strings of numbers or letters to encode location provides a simple and accessible way to identify the site of an emergency incident – saving time and reducing error. OFA requests that the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care and the Ministry of the Solicitor General examine the feasibility of extending the use of What3Words application across emergency services within their administration. We see this as a simple, easily implemented solution that can serve as a bridge until integrated systems such as the Advanced Mobile Location (AML) are available in Canada.
Submissions & Correspondence
OFA letter of support to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding the What3Words application
Updated: August 22, 2023