Hastings Quinte Paramedic Chief Carl Bowker Photo: Hastings County Council/YouTube
Efforts to restore land ambulance grant funding are recommended to be taken in the Quinte region.
Hastings County Council approved a special resolution at its meeting on Thursday to request that the provincial government put land ambulance service base funding back to its previous level for the 2025 fiscal year.
Hastings Quinte Paramedic Chief Carl Bowker stated the reduction of base funding of a little more than $149,000 was not reasonably foreseen by Hastings County after it entered into an agreement to provide land ambulance services to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.
This has led to a budgetary shortfall.
“We have spoken with representatives of the Ministry of Health’s financial team for further clarification and have learned that 100-per cent base funding is calculated on population census data for the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory,” stated Bowker.
“This equates to approximately $300,000 in funds on an annual basis.”
Within the existing budget, the Chief stated a notable decrease in the number of cross-border expenses is anticipated as a result of the MBQ partnership that would help offset some of these costs.
However, he said it is difficult to project the overall impact to the budget at this time.
Council agreed to approve the special resolution and have it sent to provincial representatives at Queen’s Park.
