The Ontario government has announced nearly $764 million in funding to assist municipalities with the cost of land ambulance operations.
Premier Doug Ford told the 2022 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa Wednesday the funding is up about five per cent provincially compared to 2021-22 funding levels.
A media release said the Ontario government is working with its municipal partners to build strong, thriving communities and making significant, additional investments to enhance and protect the critical public services Ontarians rely on everyday.
The government is also expanding patient care models for eligible 9-1-1 patients to provide them timely access to appropriate treatment in the community and help reduce unnecessary emergency department visits. Currently, these patient care models enable paramedics to treat and refer mental health and addictions and palliative care patients to appropriate services in the community. The government is working with key partners to expand these models to different patient groups, such as people with diabetes and epilepsy, and implement a new treat and release model with recommendations to patients for appropriate follow-up care.
Additionally, Ontario is providing approximately $47 million through to the end of 2023 to public health units and municipalities to ensure they have the financial stability to deliver key services across the province during this critical time. This is in addition to continuing the increased investments to support the public health sector’s response to COVID-19.
“The people of Ontario are counting on all levels of government to come together and get it done for them,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We will work shoulder to shoulder with our municipal partners to deliver a stronger health system, world class transportation infrastructure and attainable housing for all Ontarians. Because there is only one way to build a prosperous Ontario for everyone, and that is by building together.”