Emergency dispatchers in British Columbia have released their annual roundup of the most head-scratching calls to 911 for 2025, highlighting a persistent problem of non-emergencies clogging the critical line. The list, compiled by E-Comm, which handles emergency calls for much of the province, serves as a stark reminder to the public: 911 is for life-threatening situations and crimes in progress, not everyday inconveniences.
A Drain on Critical Resources
E-Comm answers approximately two million 911 calls each year. While the vast majority of callers use the service appropriately, the agency says even a small number of frivolous calls can tie up dispatchers and delay response for someone facing a genuine, life-threatening emergency. Every second spent on a non-urgent matter is a second not available to help someone in dire need.
"No matter how absurd a call might be on the surface, we have to treat every 911 call as an emergency, until we can confidently determine otherwise," explained Bailey Mitchell, a police call taker at E-Comm, in a news release. "Every second we spend fielding questions about traffic, hornets or bad haircuts is time that could otherwise be helping someone in a life-threatening emergency situation."
From Parking Spots to Poor Haircuts: The 2025 List
The 2025 list of inappropriate calls showcases a range of frustrations that, while annoying, do not constitute an emergency requiring police, fire, or ambulance. E-Comm provided specific examples, including one caller who dialed 911 to complain about another driver who took a coveted parking spot.
In an audio recording released by the agency, a dispatcher can be heard patiently clarifying the situation with clear disbelief: "So you’re calling 911 because you wanted to take a parking spot but somebody else took your parking spot but then you saw that this person wasn’t going into Starbucks, they’re actually using that parking spot to go into Fraser Mart?" After confirming no weapon was involved and no assault occurred, the dispatcher firmly informed the caller that the use of 911 was "super inappropriate."
The official top 10 frivolous calls to 911 in British Columbia for 2025 are:
- A passenger's luggage exceeded airline carry-on limits.
- A Walmart store refused to accept a return for an air fryer.
- A homeowner reported a broken dishwasher.
- A driver was upset someone parked at a Starbucks but then entered a different store.
- A non-electric vehicle was parked at an EV charging station.
- A caller wanted to complain about general traffic conditions.
- A guest was locked out of their Airbnb rental.
- A person left their iPad at a SkyTrain station.
- A resident requested help removing a hornet from their apartment.
- An individual was profoundly unhappy with the results of a haircut.
Knowing When to Call—and When Not To
The annual publication of this list is part of E-Comm's ongoing public education campaign. The agency stresses that 911 is specifically for situations where immediate action is required by emergency services. This includes medical crises, fires, crimes in progress, or serious car accidents.
For non-emergency issues—such as consumer complaints, minor traffic issues, lost property, or general inquiries—the public is urged to use police non-emergency lines or contact other appropriate agencies or services directly. Misuse of 911 can have real-world consequences, potentially delaying help for those who need it most during the most critical moments of their lives.
