The Ontario government is investing $38,391,402 in the County of Simcoe to connect more people to emergency care faster and increase the availability of paramedics and ambulances in the community.
“When an emergency happens, people and families need to know help will be there when they need it. By investing more than $38 million in ambulance services and offload supports in Simcoe County, as part of nearly $1.1 billion provincewide, we’re helping paramedics get back on the road sooner and keeping more ambulances available to answer 9-1-1 calls. This investment will connect people to faster emergency care and strengthen the health-care services our growing communities rely on.”
Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte
“This increased investment in land ambulance services will make a meaningful difference for families in Simcoe North and municipalities across Simcoe County, helping communities keep pace with rising costs and the growing demand for emergency services. Just as importantly, funding through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program will help reduce the time paramedics spend waiting at hospital emergency departments to transfer patients, allowing them to get back on the road and respond to the next 9-1-1 call sooner.
In growing communities like Orillia, Midland and Penetanguishene, as well as the rural communities of Tiny, Tay, Severn and Ramara, ensuring ambulances are available and emergency care workers have the support they need is incredibly important. I’m proud that our government continues to invest in the people and services that provide high-quality emergency care across Simcoe North and throughout Simcoe County.”
Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North
“Strong paramedic services are an essential part of keeping our communities safe. As Barrie–Innisfil and communities throughout Simcoe County continue to grow, this $38.4 million investment will help ensure our paramedics have the resources they need to serve our residents and provide timely, high-quality emergency care when it matters most. I’m proud to see our government making these important investments in our communities and supporting the paramedics who work every day to keep our families safe.” Andrea Khanjin, MPP for Barrie-Innisfil
“Simcoe County is growing, and we need to ensure emergency services keep pace with that growth. This $38.4 million investment will help the County of Simcoe support its paramedics, respond to increasing demand and continue delivering the high-quality emergency care residents across our communities depend on. I want to thank our paramedics, health-care professionals and county partners for the important work they do every day.” Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey
In Simcoe County, Ontario is increasing land ambulance funding by 9% per cent, bringing the province’s total investment in the region to $37,591,402 this year. This increase in base funding helps ensure municipalities address increased costs so they can continue to deliver high-quality emergency care. This investment is part of the more than $1 billion in land ambulance funding Ontario is providing municipalities across the province this year, representing an average increase of 9 per cent from 2025.
In addition, to further reduce delays paramedics encounter when arriving at hospitals to transfer patients, Ontario is investing $800,000 in the County of Simcoe through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program to hire nurses and other eligible health professionals dedicated to offloading ambulance patients in hospital emergency departments. The program allows paramedics to get back out into the community faster and respond to their next 9-1-1 call sooner and has played a significant role in reducing ambulance offload times and increasing ambulance availability for 9-1-1 patients across the province. As a result of this investment and the collaboration between paramedics and hospital professionals, provincial ambulance offload time has been reduced by approximately 68 per cent since its peak in October 2022. “Our government is making record investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system and connect people to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With provincial ambulance offload times declining by nearly 70% since 2022, this shows that our plan is working.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government continues to take bold and decisive action to protect the province’s health-care system and ensure people and their families have access to high-quality care closer to home for generations to come.