Ontario Connecting People to Faster Emergency Care

Investments in emergency care have reduced ambulance offload times by more than 50 per cent

NEWMARKET — The Ontario government is investing over $58 million in York Region to connect people to emergency care faster and increase the availability of ambulances.

“Connecting people to emergency care faster and increasing the availability of ambulances is a top priority for our government,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “By increasing funding for land ambulances and supporting the ongoing Dedicated Offload Nurses Program, we are helping ensure municipalities, like The Regional Municipality of York Region, can address increased costs so they can continue to deliver high-quality emergency care.”

In York Region, Ontario is increasing land ambulance funding by 11 per cent, bringing the province’s total investment in the region to $56,060,992 this year. This increase in base funding helps ensure municipalities address increased costs so they can continue to deliver high-quality emergency care.

In addition, to further reduce delays paramedics encounter when dropping patients off at a hospital, Ontario is investing $2,779,840 in York Region through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program to hire more nurses and other eligible health professionals dedicated to offloading ambulance patients in hospital emergency departments.

The program allows paramedics to get back out into the community faster and respond to their next 9-1-1 call sooner and has played a significant role in reducing ambulance offload times and increasing ambulance availability for 9-1-1 patients across the province. As a result of this investment and the dedication of health care professionals, provincial ambulance offload time has been reduced by more than 50 per cent since its peak in October 2022.

To ensure urgent patients receive critical care sooner, Ontario is also continuing to implement the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) across the province. The system helps to better prioritize and triage emergency medical calls and dispatch paramedics sooner. Over the last year, the province has rolled out MPDS to Mississauga, Kenora, Thunder Bay, Ottawa and Renfrew, and are accelerating progress to implement the system at the 15 remaining dispatch sites across Ontario over a year ahead of schedule.

“On behalf of our dedicated team of paramedics, thank you to the Government of Ontario for this invaluable funding and support for York Region Paramedic Services,” said Chris Spearen,

General Manager, Paramedic and Seniors Services. “Today’s announcement directly supports our paramedic team and will enhance the overall health care experience for the community. With increased call volumes and demand for paramedicine services as our population grows and diversifies, this funding is vital for improving patient outcomes.”

“On behalf of York Regional Council and The Regional Municipality of York, I extend our appreciation to the Government of Ontario for their continued support of York Region Paramedic Services. This vital investment will enable us to expand essential services and ensure residents receive the care they need, where they need it most,” said Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO of the Regional Municipality of York. “As our communities grows, the dedication and expertise of our paramedics remain a cornerstone of York Region’s emergency response and health care system. Together, with our provincial partners, we are building a safer, healthier future for everyone in York Region.” With Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the government continues to take action to strengthen the health care system so that it is responsive and is evolving to meet the health needs and priorities of Ontarians, no matter where they live.

QUICK FACTS

  •    The government’s additional investments into the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program over three years will help municipalities cover around 800,000 dedicated hours to support offloading ambulance patients in the emergency department.
  •    Currently over 200 patient care models led by paramedic services across the province are now approved to provide appropriate and timely care options for eligible 9-1-1 patients in the community, instead of in the emergency department. 
  •    The government is helping more students become paramedics by adding more than 300 spaces in paramedic programs at provincial colleges across Ontario, making it easier for future paramedics to access education and training closer to home.
  • The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant is providing over 350 first-year paramedic students studying in select Northern postsecondary institutions with funding for free tuition, books, compulsory fees and other direct educational costs. After graduating, students will need to work in the same region they studied for a minimum of six months for every full year of study funded by the grant.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES