EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee met on Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 1:20 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton.

Chaired by Councillor P. Palleschi

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION EPSC-8-2006:

That Delegations/Presentations - Item 3b be dealt with as the first item of business on the agenda;

And further, that the agenda for the October 12, 2006 Emergency and Protective Services Committee meeting, be approved, as amended.

3. DELEGATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

Item 3b was dealt with.

b) Patrick Forgie, Vice-President, Administration, Peel Paramedic Association (PPA), Discussing the Professional Issues of Paramedics in the Region of Peel and the Potential Impact of the HealthAnalytics Report on the Paramedic Profession

Received

See also Item 3a and Reports - Item 4a

Patrick Forgie, Vice-President, Administration, Peel Paramedic Association (PPA), informed the Committee that the PPA objects to the proposal of HealthAnalytics to lengthen response times from 9 minutes 32 seconds to 12 minutes. He stated that it is the opinion of the Association that extending the response times will risk the lives of the residents of Peel.

Regional Chair Kolb noted that although there is a 50-50 funding agreement between the Province and municipalities, the Region is not receiving its share of the funding from the Province. He urged the PPA to take their message to the Province to raise awareness of the concerns regarding response times. Chair Kolb further noted that Peel Regional Council has been supporting the ambulance system since it was downloaded from the Province.

a) Dave Wakely and Tim Szumlanski, Union Representatives, OPSEU Local 277, Peel Regional Paramedic Services, Regarding the Paramedic Services Master Plan Final Report

Received

See also Item 3b and Reports - Item 4a

Dave Wakely and Tim Szumlanski, Union Representatives, OPSEU Local 277, Peel Regional Paramedic Services, provided an overview of the position of the union with regard to HealthAnalytics' recommendations. Dave Wakely pointed out that the Paramedic Union supports the recommendation to build infrastructure stations and the use of minimal mobile deployment but opposes the proposal to increase response times to 12 minutes and the reliance on Fire Departments for patient care.

Councillor Mullin expressed her concern about the union's desire to be completely separate from the Fire Departments. Dave Wakely explained that the union supports the proposal to have combined Fire-Paramedic stations, however, urges the Region to consider having separate management for paramedics instead of under the guise of the Fire Department, as proposed by HealthAnalytics.

Members of the Committee requested that Regional staff comment on the tiered response system used in Ottawa. Peter Dundas, Director of Paramedic and Emergency Services, advised that Ottawa does have cost recovery from the Province but he reminded members that it is a single tier municipality and therefore easier for Ottawa to recover costs. Members of the Committee requested that Regional staff provide further information on the Ottawa model to a future meeting.

Councillor Palleschi expressed his concern regarding the perception of the PPA and the union since the Region assumed the management of paramedic services. He noted that the Region is doing its best to look for solutions to resolve issues but pointed out that the Region also has to consider the other services it provides to its residents. Councillor Palleschi urged the Paramedic Association and the union to provide as much input as they can to help improve the system.

b) Patrick Forgie, Vice-President, Administration, Peel Paramedic Association (PPA), Discussing the Professional Issues of Paramedics in the Region of Peel and the Potential Impact of the HealthAnalytics Report on the Paramedic Profession

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting

4. REPORTS

a) Evaluation and Recommendations for Capital Planning and Development of the Peel Regional Paramedic Services (Oral)
Presentation by Todd Hatley, Chief Operating Officer, HealthAnalytics

This item was dealt with later in the meeting

5. COMMUNICATIONS

a) Malcolm Bates, Director, Emergency Health Services Branch, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Letter dated June 29, 2006, Providing an Update on the Land Ambulance Base Hospital Realignment and Outlining Steps the Ministry will be Pursuing to Optimize Base Hospital Resources and Enhance Services

Received

Councillor Palleschi expressed his concern that the Province may not continue its current level of funding when the number of base hospitals is reduced to six in order to enhance the services in the remaining base hospitals. Robert Burgess, Senior Manager, Programs, Sunnybrook-Osler Centre for Prehospital Care, the Base Hospital for Peel Region and the City of Toronto, stated that the rationalization for the realignment of the base hospitals deals only with efficiencies and the effectiveness of the system and does not involve cost reduction. Robert Burgess stated that the rationalization will not change the Provincial budget for base hospitals.

b) Communication: Ontario 9-1-1 Advisory Board, dated August 1, 2006, Seeking $100 from Each Municipal Government in Order to Continue as the Technical and Information Authority Respecting the Implementation and Operation of 9-1-1 Emergency Number Systems in Ontario

Received

Members of the Committee directed staff to invite a representative of the Ontario 9-1-1 Advisory Board to attend a future Emergency and Protective Services Committee meeting to discuss the initiatives of the Board.

Item 4a was dealt with.

4. REPORTS

a) Evaluation and Recommendations for Capital Planning and Development of the Peel Regional Paramedic Service (Oral)
Presentation by Todd Hatley, Chief Operating Officer, HealthAnalytics

Received

Todd Hatley, Chief Operating Officer, HealthAnalytics outlined the evaluation and recommendations for the capital planning and development of the Peel Regional Paramedic Service.

Councillor Palleschi noted that Members of the Committee only received a copy of the report prior to the meeting, therefore, the report would only be received by the Committee at this time. He also advised that staff would consider any financial implications contained in the report of HealthAnalytics in the 2007 Regional budget review. Councillor Palleschi stated that the report will be available to the public.

RECOMMENDATION EPSC-9-2006:

That the report of HealthAnalytics titled "Evaluation and Recommendations for Capital Planning and Development of the Peel Regional Paramedic Service" be received;

And further, that Regional staff circulate the HealthAnalytics report and presentation handouts to all Members of Regional Council for their information;

And further, that a Special Meeting of Regional Council be scheduled for the first quarter of 2007 to further discuss the recommendations contained in the report of HealthAnalytics;

And further, that staff report back to Regional Council with an analysis of the recommendations of HealthAnalytics at the Special Meeting of Regional Council to be held in the first quarter of 2007;

And further, that all stakeholders, including the City of Brampton, the City of Mississauga and the Town of Caledon Fire and Emergency Services, be included in the consultation process regarding Capital planning and development of the Peel Regional Paramedic Service.

See also Delegations/Presentations - Items 3a and 3b

6. OTHER BUSINESS

7. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE MEETINGS

Thursday, February 22, 2007
9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Regional Administrative Headquarters
Council Chamber, 5th Floor
10 Peel Centre Dr.
Brampton, Ontario

8. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 3:02 p.m.