Toronto Launches $52M Paramedic Staffing Plan to Tackle Rising Emergency Calls
City aims to hire 362 staff, including 331 paramedics, by 2028 to cut ambulance wait times
Toronto — With emergency medical calls on the rise and response times under strain, the City of Toronto has announced a bold new plan to expand its paramedic workforce over the next four years.
Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto Paramedic Services Deputy Chief of Operations Melanie Jordison unveiled the Multi-Year Staffing Plan on Tuesday morning, outlining a $52 million investment—jointly funded by the City and the Province of Ontario—to strengthen emergency response capacity and public health outcomes.
The plan, pending City Council approval, proposes the hiring of 362 new staff between 2025 and 2028, including 331 frontline paramedics. The remaining positions will provide vital support functions, helping Toronto Paramedic Services (TPS) manage a rapidly growing call volume while reinforcing workforce sustainability.
Yesterday, @MayorOliviaChow unveiled a major step forward for pre-hospital care in @CityofToronto.
Over the next three years, @TorontoMedics will be adding hundreds of additional Paramedics, support, and supervisory staff to respond to Torontonians when they need us most. ⚕️ pic.twitter.com/weuey9RU3S
— Toronto Paramedic Services (@TorontoMedics) June 11, 2025
“In 2024 alone, our paramedics responded to over 350,000 emergency calls,” said Mayor Chow. “Investing in the City of Toronto’s Paramedic Services means investing in people’s health, well-being, and safety—and ensuring people get the emergency help they need, when they need it.”
The city projects that emergency call volumes will rise by an average of three per cent annually, due in part to Toronto’s aging population and broader system pressures in healthcare and emergency response. TPS says the added staffing will boost ambulance availability by up to 20 per cent by 2028, significantly reducing 9-1-1 wait times for critical care.
“The proposed staffing increase will enhance the availability of ambulances in the community to respond to 9-1-1 calls while supporting the resilience and well-being of our dedicated workforce.” said Chief Bikram Chawla
The staffing strategy comes in response to City Council’s direction to develop a detailed plan for resourcing TPS as part of Toronto’s annual budget process. A comprehensive staffing analysis led to this report, which will be reviewed by the Executive Committee on June 17 before heading to Council for a final vote.
Toronto Paramedic Services is one of the largest municipal paramedic services in Canada, and a critical pillar in the city’s emergency response infrastructure. As Toronto continues to grow—both in population and complexity—city officials say strategic investments like these are essential to maintaining livability and public trust.
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