The Ontario government is providing an additional $914,000 to Peterborough County-City Paramedics this year to support general ambulance service operations.
Funding via the Land Ambulance Service Grant (LASG) will see the paramedic service receive $9,490,038 in funding for 2023 — an increase of $914,328 from the $8.7 million allocated in 2022, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said.
The additional funding will support the hiring of additional paramedics, wage and cost-of-living adjustments and other services. The government is investing nearly $811 million this year in the LASG across the province, an 11 per cent increase from 2022.
“When people call 911, they need to know that paramedics will arrive quickly to meet their needs,” Smith said. “A delay in a service call of just minutes can lead to drastically different results. The Peterborough County-City Paramedics work hard to deliver emergency medical care. This investment will help all of us receive better service when our loved ones pick up the phone at that critical time.”
Through the LASG, municipalities receive funding for 50 per cent of the costs for their land ambulance operations. Peterborough County-City Paramedic chief Randy Mello says paramedics appreciate the “ongoing collaboration” and support from the province as the service endures systematic pressures.
“This funding for our paramedic service ensures we continue to meet the community’s needs as we experience expanded calls for service in our region,” he said.
The County of Peterborough will receive an increase from $450,683 to $479,257 for the 2023-24 fiscal year via the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program to help reduce offload delays at hospitals. Ontario is providing an additional $51 million to the program over the next three years.
“The Government of Ontario has been a strong partner to help our Peterborough County-City Paramedics meet the needs of our growing communities,” Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark said. “The increase to the Land Ambulance Service Grant has enabled us to be proactive in ensuring adequate service and planning for the years ahead. Sustained funding for the PCCP will assure Peterborough County residents that their paramedics will be there when they are needed the most.”
— more to come
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