DSSAB severely underfunded

News Release
RR DSSAB

The Province of Ontario is not paying its share of the services downloaded to the Municipalities, leaving the Municipal taxpayer holding the bill.
The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care continues to renege on its commitment to cover half the costs of delivering Land Ambulance.
When Land Ambulance was transferred to the Municipalities in 2001, the Province pledged to cost sharing on a 50/50 basis; this agreement is not being met. Presently, the Province is contributing closer to 30% of the Land Ambulance costs, with the Rainy River District Municipalities picking up the lion’s share.
The Rainy River DSSAB approved its 2005 budget last Thursday which includes a 10.38% increased to municipalities Donna Dittaro, CAO, explained that “the actual increase for 2005 was 2.37% however there was a carry over of 8.1% from 2004 which had been offset by $409,250 in DSSAB surplus funds last year. Unfortunately, this year, the total cost must be recovered directly from the Municipalities.”
Dittaro explained that the “DSSAB Budget increases are primarily the result of uncontrollable increases in the costs to deliver Land Ambulance Service”. For example, in January 2001, Paramedic Wages were fixed by the Ministry across the Province at $20.40 per hour. In 2005, the Paramedic Wage is expected to rise to over $27.00 in Northwestern Ontario.This 32% increase has occurred since the transfer of Land Ambulance from the Province to the Municipalities. These 8% annual increases are currently being funded at the expense of the Municipal taxpayers, as the Province refuses to pick up any wage increases over 1%. At the present time, the Province owes the RRDSSAB approximately $730,000 to cover their share of total ambulance costs. Of that amount, approximately $645,000 is directly attributed to arbitrated wage settlements for Paramedics in the District.
The Province has also failed to contribute to rising operating costs for land Ambulance. In 2003, the Province did not provide any additional funding for increases to fuel, utilities, supplies or equipment. Again, this was left for the Municipalities to pick up.
Loss of services, reductions in staff and a decease in quality of services may be the result of unfunded costs. Larger centers can obviously absorb these increases at a much lower cost, given their larger tax bases. The impact in the Rainy River District is much greater.
According to Russ Fortier, DSSAB Chair, “the issue is not just about money. Every dollar not funded may result in a cut to service either within Land Ambulance or a service within a Municipality”. At a recent meeting with MP Ken Boshcoff, Chair Fortier was advised that the Federal government has transferred funds to the Province to address health care issues.
The DSSAB is presently lobbying the Provincial government to resolve these long-standing issues in Land Ambulance. Fortier stresses that ”the DSSAB has not left any stone upturned. We have cut our administration and reduced in every way we possible can. The solution is simple - it’s time for the Province to pay their share.”