Arnott: Minister can broker ambulance deal

The Minister of Health must intervene to ensure fairness in the provision of ambulance services in Wellington County, says to Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott.

Two months ago, Guelph unilaterally disbanded a joint county and city land ambulance committee. The county was left without a voice on how ambulance ser­vices will be managed within its boundaries.

“This has left county tax­payers unrepresented when it comes to the governance of this important local service,” said Arnott in the legis­lature on April 1.  “The ambu­lance can literally mean the dif­ference between life and death.”

Minister of Health, Deb Matthews, he said, has it within her power to broker a solu­tion to the ambu­lance impasse be­tween the county and city.

“If we are successful, we could use the resultant good­will to restart discussions on the other outstanding issues, and hopefully make progress on those as well,” he said.

In response to ambulance is­sues affecting Erin, Arnott wrote several letters this year, including an open letter to the minister. He also spoke about it in the Ontario Legislature, including con­ver­sa­tions with the minister in February.

“In this case, I firmly be­lieve a solution is possible,” he concluded.