Ontario government announces funding increase for ambulances and related services

DAN CEARNS The Standard

DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The Ontario government is increasing investments to enable municipalities to increase access to ambulances.

The announcement was made by, Health Minister Sylvia Jones, at a press conference, on Thursday, September 12th.

The Ontario government is giving an eight percent increase in ambulance funding to municipalities, amounting in an $877 million investment across the province this year. The government is also investing $33 million to the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program. An Ontario government press release explained, this program helps “hospitals hire more nurses and other eligible health professionals who are dedicated to offloading ambulance patients in hospital emergency departments.”

“I want to thank Ontario’s incredible paramedics who step in each and every day, often facing challenging situations, to provide high quality care in your community. We will continue to work with our municipal healthcare and community partners, to provide paramedic services with the tools they need to provide high quality care when and where they need it,” Minister Jones said.

She noted, the Ontario government is focused on “strengthening all aspects of our healthcare system” and making it “faster and easier to access key services.”