The Current with Matt Galloway Aired: November 2, 2023 Wait times for ambulances are at crisis levels in some parts of Canada, with reports that a 99-year-old Ontario woman waited more than four hours with a cracked vertebrae last month. What’s causing these delays, and what are the solutions? Listen Now: [...]

Lack of ambulances left 92-year-old woman waiting for help, Toronto paramedics' union says Updated: October 31, 2023 Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-paramedics-code-red-alert The union representing Toronto's paramedics says it issued the second code red alert this month, signaling there were no transport vehicles available in the city. (Esteban Cuevas/CBC) For the second time this month, [...]

120 Toronto hybrid-converted ambulances pulled off road as precaution after failures Updated: October 19, 2023 Source: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/10/19/toronto-paramedics-hybrid-ambulances/ Toronto Paramedic Services began a program to retrofit 120 ambulances with hybrid-electric drivelines. Three years later every system is being removed after two vehicle failures. Nick Westoll explains. After two Toronto Paramedic Services ambulances retrofitted [...]

Toronto paramedic union issues 'code red' after it says no ambulances available in the city Updated: October 5, 2023 Source: https://www.cp24.com/news/toronto-paramedic-union-issues-code-red-after-it-says-no-ambulances-available-in-the-city The union representing Toronto paramedics issued a ‘code red alert’ earlier this week after it said there were no ambulances in the city to respond to calls. “Yesterday, Toronto Paramedic Services [...]

Ambulance shortage in Toronto prompts calls to nearby municipalities for help: union Updated: October 5, 2023 Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/10003186/toronto-ambulance-shortage-union/ The Toronto paramedics union is sounding the alarm after the city had no available ambulances to handle a large backlog of calls on Monday, prompting the union to issue a “Code Red Alert.” [...]

Toronto's paramedic service struggles to keep pace amid burnout, competitive job market Updated: April 14, 2023 Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-paramedic-retention-challenges Recruitment, retention challenges come as city enters final year of a plan to staff up EMS service CUPE 416's paramedic unit chair Mike Merriman says Toronto is not doing enough to recruit and retain [...]

Paramedic Services Reaching Crisis Levels After Years Of Understaffing, Underfunding Updated: March 7, 2023 Source: https://www.thehoser.ca/ lack of staff and infrastructure has led to frequent “Code Red” statuses, meaning there are no ambulances available at certain times on some days across the GTA. There is no legal duty for the City to [...]

Toronto Paramedics getting $21-million budget boost, but will it fix ongoing issues? Updated: Jan. 13, 2023 Source: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca Toronto Paramedic Services staff have been dealing with staff shortages and retention issues in recent years. Mayor John Tory announced an extra $21 million to address ongoing concerns. Nick Westoll has more. As [...]

Upwards of 50 ambulances were tied up at Toronto hospitals this weekend when 'code red' was issued Chris Fox Jan. 10, 2022 Source: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca At points this weekend there were upwards of 50 Toronto ambulances that were out of service at one time while paramedics waited to offload patients at local hospitals, a [...]

Personal support worker and paramedic groups alarmed as PSWs tapped to monitor patients awaiting hospital care By Alan S. Hale January 6, 2023 Source: https://www.politicstoday.news At least two Toronto hospitals are resorting to using personal support workers (PSWs) to watch patients who were dropped off by an ambulance so paramedics can get [...]