Cell Phone Companies vs Regional District of Nanaimo & Cowichan Valley RD re: 9-1-1 Bylaw

From CKNW:

If I were a Regional District in BC - I would be keeping a close eye on this Supreme Court of BC case as it could potentially have an impact on Regional District Board discussions on levying fees to a class(es) of users for a local, sub-regional or regional Regional District Service

Calling it a dangerous reason for people to stop using 9-1-1 service, BC's big phone companies are going to court to challenge a new cell phone bylaw on Vancouver Island.

They want a court order to quash the regulation.

In documents filed in BC Supreme Court, Telus, Rogers and Bell say the rule to charge a $30 per call fee or collect a monthly charge for each cell phone user, would create "a dangerous disincentive for callers to dial 9-1-1."

The bylaw was adopted by the City of Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Regional District and the Cowichan Valley Regional District to collect fees and cover costs of 9-1-1 service for wireless phones.

The companies say the fee is really a tax and only parliament and the BC legislature can levy a tax.

They (Rogers, Bell and Telus) also claim it would cost half a million dollars to set up a special billing system to collect it.