Grey County paramedics continued to meet or exceed response targets for the majority of calls in 2025.
Director of Paramedic Services Kevin McNab told county councillors Thursday, that 2025 response times were consistent compared to 2024 numbers, despite a nearly 9 per cent increase in total calls.
McNab says targets were met in all but two response categories.
In 2025,Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS 1) targets were achieved in about 58 per cent of calls (target 60 per cent) and CTAS 2 targets were achieved in 88 per cent of calls (target 90 per cent). Grey County exceeded targets for sudden cardiac arrest calls and CTAS 3-5.
Each year, the County sets target times for responding to emergency calls. These targets vary based on the severity of the call. There are six categories of calls. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) calls are most urgent and have a response target of six minutes or less.
The remaining five levels are based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). These range from CTAS 1 calls, which require resuscitation and are life threatening, like cardiac arrests or major trauma, to CTAS 5 calls, which are less urgent conditions that could be referred to other areas of the healthcare system, such as a small wound requiring stitches or a dressing change.
The target for a CTAS 1 call is eight minutes sixty percent of the time, 15 minutes for a CTAS 2 call 90 percent of the time, and up to 20 minutes for CTAS 3-5 90 percent of the time.
Grey County paramedics cover an area of 4,500 square kilometres.
The location of a call and the nearest paramedic station or available ambulance impact response times.
A review was completed in 2023 providing projections for where call volumes are expected to rise and where more resources should be deployed.
The County says this review will be updated in 2026 to confirm it still reflects the needs of the County.
In the coming years, Grey County plans to construct four additional bases in Feversham (2026), Ayton (2027), Thornbury (2027) and Cobble Beach (2028).