EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE

M I N U T E S    EPSC-2013-4

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee met on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 8:41 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

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* See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

Chaired by Regional Chair Kolb.

A quorum of voting members was not present, and in accordance with Section III-5(g) of the Region of Peel Procedure By-law 100-2012, the Emergency and Protective Services Committee received information.

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST - Nil

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

This item was dealt with later in the meeting.

3. DELEGATIONS – Nil

4. REPORTS

Received

This item was dealt with later in the meeting.

A copy of the presentation is available from the Office of the Regional Clerk.

Peter Dundas, Chief and Director, Paramedic Services, and Renaud Campbell, Manager, Health Facility Planning provided information regarding the history and evolution of the 10 Year Facility Capital Plan (2008-2017). Peter Dundas advised of proposed changes to the original Health Analytics consultants’ recommendations; notably two less satellite stations, and five deferred satellite stations from the 10 year plan. Renaud Campbell advised that these changes were based upon the changing call volumes and growth patterns that have emerged since the plan was first approved in 2007, as well as maximizing co-locate opportunities with local Fire Services and other partners. Currently 17 of 25 stations will be co-located. They noted that staff recommends the changes to the Facility Plan based on achieving efficiency gains without sacrificing the quality of service and required mobility capabilities of Paramedic Services.

Councillor Hames arrived at 9:04 a.m.

A quorum of voting members was achieved.

Items 2 and 4a were dealt with.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION EPSC-9-2013

That the agenda for the November 7, 2013, Emergency and Protective Services Committee meeting be approved.

4. REPORTS

a) Proposed Changes to the Peel Regional Paramedic Services 10 Year Facility Capital Plan (2008-2017)

RECOMMENDATION EPSC-10-2013:

That the recommended changes to the 10 Year Facility Capital Plan, as outlined in the report of the Commissioner of Health Services, dated October 28, 2013, titled “Proposed Changes to the Peel Regional Paramedic Services 10 Year Facility Capital Plan (2008 – 2017)”, be approved.

In response to questions from Councillor Saito, Janette Smith, Commissioner of Health Services, advised that some of the funding for capital projects in the plan came from provincial and federal stimulus funding. Mark Critch, Manager, Financial Support Unit, advised that provincial funding for operating any new facility is 50 percent of the costs amortized over the useful life of the building.

In response to questions from Councillor Saito, Peter Dundas advised that paramedic facilities are not connected to fixed coverage areas, but rather for maximizing mobility and responding to the highest need areas in the fastest time, during critical coverage periods. He also noted that the number of facilities is based on coverage to ensure high need areas have paramedics consistently stationed and would reduce the need for increased mobility unless critical coverage needs emerge.

Councillor Saito requested that the Commissioner of Health Services prepare a briefing note for Committee Members to illustrate how much capital and operating funds have been invested in paramedic services by the Region of Peel since downloading of the service, and how much the province has contributed over the same time period.

Councillor Saito requested that the Commissioner of Health Services provide more detailed information on call volume and coverage areas related to the location of satellite stations.

In response to questions from Councillor Paterak, Peter Dundas advised that no paramedic facility has been built with more than two bays for ambulances. He noted that satellite stations typically are single bay, while high-need areas are more likely to have stations with two bays. Peter Dundas also noted that all paramedics have access to any of the stations located in the Region of Peel. He informed that Paramedic Services has an anti-idling solution for its ambulances to ensure that when possible, the vehicles are shut down to reduce fuel costs and the environmental impact when they are positioned at hospitals or in the community.

Regional Chair Kolb, at the request of Mayor McCallion, inquired if Fire Services and Paramedic Services could continue to monitor combining common areas at any new co-locate stations, if possible, to help reduce capital costs. Peter Dundas responded that the Fire and Paramedic Chiefs would continue to monitor the issue.

Steve Hall, Director, Real Property Asset Management, provided information regarding the need for facility staff to ensure the ongoing maintenance and operations of the paramedic stations. He provided an overview of an analysis of the facilities operators that are outsourced versus operated directly by the Region of Peel. At the 7120 Hurontario office building, he noted that proper building operation and management by internal employee resources has yielded reduced energy costs and savings of approximately $343,000 over the previous year as opposed to outsourcing.

In response to a question from Councillor Paterak, Steve Hall stated that the transition from older leased facilities to newly owned facilities and proper building management would yield savings in costs to the Region of Peel, and also promote an environmentally sound operation of buildings.

5. COMMUNICATIONS - Nil

6. IN CAMERA MATTERS - Nil

7. OTHER BUSINESS - Nil

8. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee is scheduled for Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 10:00 a.m., Council Chamber, 5th floor, Regional Administrative Headquarters, Suite A, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton, Ontario.

Please forward regrets to Curtiss Law, Committee Clerk, (905) 791-7800, ext. 4330 or at curtiss.law@peelregion.ca.

9. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 9:49 a.m.