HALIFAX – Nova Scotia is spending $2 million to upgrade its 911 emergency phone service.

The government says the money spent will increase the system’s backup capacity to ensure its reliability and buy new equipment to cope with changes in cellphone technology.

Cellphones account for about half the calls made to 911 in the province.

About 237,000 calls were made to 911 last year, or an average of 650 calls a day.

The 911 system is supported by a $0.43 charge that Nova Scotia residents pay for their phone lines and money from that fund will pay for the upgrade.

Call centres that operate the system are in the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Truro and Kentville.