VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — People calling 9-1-1 in B.C. in recent days have had to wait up to five minutes for their calls to be answered, and there are conflicting explanations as to why this is happening.

The Emergency Communications Professionals of BC, the union representing call takers, says in a Facebook post that it is underfunded and understaffed.

“Our members are working hard 24/7 to answer your calls immediately, gather information accurately, and to make sure you get the help you need fast – but we are stretched to our limits and need more staff now,” the union wrote on FacebookREAD MORE