Supreme Court rebuffs Bell Mobility challenge over 911 service fees

OTTAWA – Bell Mobility Inc. has lost another bid to overturn a ruling that held it liable for charging customers in the northern territories a 911 fee without actually offering the emergency-call service.

The Supreme Court of Canada refused today to hear the company’s challenge of a Northwest Territories Court of Appeal ruling.

As usual, the high court gave no reason for declining to hear the appeal.

In most of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Nunavut, there is no 911 service.

Instead, a 911 call may be answered by a recorded message.

However, for several years monthly bills carried a 75-cent charge, prompting a class-action lawsuit by subscribers.

A trial judge ruled Bell Mobility had breached its contractual obligations, a decision that was upheld by the appeal court.

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