Concordia University introduces new campus safety texting service
The service allows students to request assistance when making a phone call is difficult
For Concordia University students and other community members who may have difficulty making a phone call, campus security is now reachable by text message.
Concordia introduced a new campus safety texting service on Oct. 5. The service allows community members to contact Campus Safety and Prevention Services (CSPS) to report safety concerns, request assistance or ask questions.
The service does not require users to download an app; they can send a text to 514-848-3717. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Messages can be sent in English or French.
According to Vannina Maestracci, Concordia's spokesperson, the service is part of CSPS efforts to improve accessibility and encourage the campus community to follow its “if you see something, say something” approach to reporting safety concerns.
Texting adds to existing communication options, including phone calls, in-person assistance, emergency phones and buttons located on campus.
Gilbert Dagenais, assistant director of CSPS, said the university is adapting to changes in how people use technology.
“Technology evolves, and it's a new tool that we can add to our toolbox,” Dagenais said.
Dagenais explained that messages appear on a designated screen at the university’s dispatch centre, where staff can respond using prepared message templates.
He said the goal is to gather the necessary information rather than have a conversation through text. Depending on the situation, security staff can send an officer to meet the person requesting assistance.
Since the service launched on Oct. 5, CSPS has received approximately 25 text messages, according to Dagenais. He said some may have been sent to test the system, but no emergencies have been reported at the time of publication.
Maestracci said people using the service should include their location and a brief description of the situation when sending a text message. They can also attach a photo to provide additional information about safety concerns.
For some students, the ability to communicate without speaking on the phone is one of the service’s most useful features.
Sneha Saha, a master's student in chemical and materials engineering at Concordia, said she was unaware of the service but believes it could be helpful in situations where making a phone call is difficult.
“We can’t speak in some places, right? So texting is more important,” Saha said.
“Technology evolves, and it’s a new tool that we can add to our toolbox.” — Gilbert Dagenais, assistant director of CSPS
Yousra Bernoussi, a first-year industrial engineering student at Concordia, also said she was unaware of the service but believes it could help students ask for assistance when they feel threatened without drawing attention.
“If they don't want to look like they're asking for help, they want to be discreet,” Bernoussi said.
She added that the university should make more students aware of the service, so they know it is available when they need assistance.
Signs advertising the new service are displayed across campus, including near the security offices in Concordia’s Henry F. Hall Building and J. W. McConnell Building.
Dagenais said Concordia has launched a communication campaign to inform students and other members of the university community about the service.
This article originally appeared in Volume 47, Issue 4, published October 27, 2026.
