Cuts to frontline Healthcare includes restructuring 42 of Ontario’s 52 Land Ambulance Services

NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath was deeply troubled to learn Tuesday that Doug Ford’s cuts to frontline healthcare will include axing 42 of the province’s 52 land ambulance services in a massive cut to essential emergency services, according to an internal memo from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). That statement was made in a media release late this afternoon.

Horwath said, “With each passing day, it’s clearer that the Ford Government’s reckless and dangerous cuts to frontline health care are going to hurt families across Ontario. Yesterday, Dr. David Mowat, the former Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, described plans to eliminate public health units as ‘dangerous,’ and now we learn that the government has plans to dramatically cut land ambulance services.”

The media release went on, “An internal AMO memo reveals the Ford government didn’t consult with municipalities on this disastrous decision – in fact, local governments only found out Monday. The AMO memo also said the Ford government has failed to provide any information on how they plan to carry out restructuring, how the decision was made or what implications this will have for funding or quality of service.” That memo is shown to the right.

Horwath questioned these cuts today, “Can the Ford government tell families across Ontario how long they will have to wait for an ambulance under their new reckless scheme?”. There was no answer.

The Algoma District Services Administration Board (ADSAB) delivers social and paramedic services including:  Child Care, Housing, Ontario Works and Paramedic (Emergency Medical) Services. Currently Wawa, Dubreuilville, Hawk Junction, Michipicoten First Nation, Michipicoten River Village receive ambulance services via the ADSAB. Should the Wawa ambulance transfer a patient to Sault Ste. Marie, the ambulance in Dubreuilville or White River will provide transport. (link to ADSAB Deployment Strategy)

There is no word if our communties ambulance services are one of the 42 services being restructured.