Waterloo region considers more resources for paramedic services to meet demand

Region of Waterloocouncilors approved a motion to put more ambulances on the roads,to help meet increasing demand.

The motion was approvedat a committee meeting on Tuesday. It will now go to full council for final approval.

The motion asked the region to approve three 12-hour ambulances, one emergency response unit and additional staff by October at a 2022 operating cost of $717,000, which would come out of a tax stabilization fund.

Councillors also approved the following additions, which are also subject to final approval:

• Eight 12-hour ambulances in May and October 2023, approved in principle and subject to final 2023 council budget approval.
• Pre-order of one emergency response unit for 2022.
• Pre-order of seven ambulances for 2022 and 2023.
• Pre-order of 10 ambulances for 2024.

"This will help ensure that ambulances are readily available to help respond efficiently to our raising 911 call volume and unit utilization," said Stephen Van Valkenburg, chief paramedic services, in thecommittee meeting.

The motion also asked councillors to cover some of the expenses from future regional development charges.

Increasing need

In 2021, call volumes showed a 10 per cent increase over 2022 and have continued to rapidly increase, the report said.

Demand has also increased. In 2021, unit utilization was 42 per cent, an increase compared to 39 per cent in 2020.

Three new 12-hour ambience shifts were added in July 2022 and two were added in July 2022, but despite that, the utilization rate hit 52 per cent already in 2022.

"Increased call and vehicle response volumes can be attributedto a number of key factors but not limited to a growing population and an aging population," said Van Valkenburg. The report notes that the COVID-19 pandemic hashad a great impact.

Councilpreviously approved resources for 2022 and 2023, which was based on a lower growth scenario.