JASON SETNYK
A Cornwall City Council motion to fund a new Logistics Supervisor role within Paramedic Services-one that could eventually reduce ambulance turnaround times from roughly 45 minutes to just a few-failed to secure enough support during a special budget meeting.
The position had been included in earlier drafts of the 2026 Paramedic Services budget but was removed during final revisions before it was ever filled. Councillor Carilyne Hébert, who moved the motion, argued the role was cut not because it lacked merit, but because it was an unfilled position and therefore easier to remove as council worked to reduce a double-digit draft tax increase.
The proposed position would have cost $116,752 in salaries and benefits, with Cornwall responsible for $43,023 and the remainder funded by the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry under the existing cost-sharing formula. The motion was seconded by Councillor Sarah Good. “This position is not just about administration,” Hébert told council. “It’s about ambulance readiness, response times, and patient safety. When response times increase, outcomes worsen-it really is that simple.” Chief of Paramedic Services Bill Lister confirmed that the role would serve as a foundational step toward long-term improvements, rather than an immediate fix. “It takes about 45 minutes to get an ambulance turned around,” Lister said. “This would be the first step in bringing that down to just minutes. It wouldn’t happen overnight, but over a year or two, we could dramatically reduce that time.” Good framed the proposal as a modest cost with potentially lifesaving benefits. “If it costs me an extra $50 a year to reduce turnaround times from 45 minutes to a few minutes, that’s value,” she said. “Emergency services serve everyone, and when you need them, it’s life or death.”
Opposition to the motion focused heavily on governance, precedent, and fiscal restraint. Councillor Dean Hollingsworth argued the proposal crossed into operational territory and risked undermining the city’s budgeting framework.
“It’s not our role to decide how many people get hired,” Hollingsworth said. “Council establishes a level of service and a budget. Administration figures out how to deliver that service. If we approve this, then every department could come back and say they need one more person to do their job better.”
Hollingsworth also pointed to the broader budget context, noting that early drafts projected tax increases approaching 20 per cent before departments were asked to make cuts. “Every department made concessions,” he said. “Paramedics weren’t singled out. And importantly, council did not authorize any reduction in ambulance service. If service levels are being maintained, then administration has determined they can operate with the current complement.”
Councillor Fred Ngoundjo echoed those concerns, saying the request, while understandable, did not meet the threshold for added tax pressure in a difficult budget year. “I understand the intention, and I know it would help staff,” he said. “But we have to be careful. The impact, as described, would not be significant right away, and we are still increasing taxes.”
Ngoundjo also noted that the motion originated from council rather than staff. “This was not requested by administration,” he said. “That matters when we’re talking about operational decisions.”
Hébert pushed back strongly in her closing remarks, arguing that delaying action would only postpone meaningful improvements. She stressed that the role had already been identified by Paramedic Services as necessary before being cut late in the process.
“This was in the budget,” she said. “It wasn’t a new idea pulled out of thin air. It was removed because it hadn’t been filled yet. If we wait another year, or two years, we’re just pushing the benefits further down the road.”
Lister confirmed that without a dedicated logistics role, frontline paramedics and supervisors continue to shoulder coordination tasks during shift changes. “If an ambulance isn’t ready, it can’t go,” he said. “We’re managing right now, but there’s no question this would improve system readiness over time.” Some councillors also raised concerns about impacts beyond the city. Hébert noted that county residents often experience longer waits and said the role would benefit the entire shared service area.
In the end, the motion was defeated. While the Logistics Supervisor position will not be funded in 2026, several councillors indicated interest in revisiting ambulance turnaround times in future discussions. CAO Tim Mills cautioned that a full service delivery review, last completed more than a decade ago, could cost between $300,000 and $500,000 and was not included in this year’s budget.
L’article Paramedic wait times could drop, but council rejects new position est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
