Response times in Ontario

Find information on how upper-tier municipalities and Central Ambulance Communication Centres meet the legislated response time requirements.

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Overview

As per Regulation 257/00 of the Ambulance Act, every upper-tier municipality (UTM) and land ambulance communication service, referred to as ambulance dispatch centres or Central Ambulance Communication Centres (CACCs), are responsible for the development of response time plans (or targets) and performance, which are submitted to the ministry on an annual basis.

The legislative response time standard and submission timeline requirements are established by Regulation 257/00 Part VIII under the Ambulance Act.

Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC)

Response Time Plan in minutes - the number of minutes that the ambulance dispatch centre is required by legislation to assign an ambulance once a request for ambulance service is received.

Planned Response in percentage – the percentage of time the response is expected to be within the Response Time Plan once a request for ambulance service is received.

Performance in percentage – the percentage of time the Response Time Plan was achieved.

CACC Average Response Times and Call Volumes

Average response times is the average time from when a 9-1-1 call is answered by a dispatcher to when an ambulance is assigned for highest priority calls.

Call volume includes all public requests for 9-1-1 ambulance calls (emergency calls and non-emergency calls) received by ambulance dispatch centres across the province. Call volume information can be an influencing factor in the response times of dispatch centres to 9-1-1 calls.

Upper tier municipality, Designated Delivery Agent and First Nation

Response Time Plan in minutes - the number of minutes that an ambulance service plans to arrive on scene from the time an ambulance is assigned by an ambulance dispatch centre. The UTM/DDA/FN sets the response time plan in minutes for CTAS 1 to 5. When reporting performance, the UTM/DDA/FN is legislatively required to report performance for Sudden Cardiac Arrest patients in 6 minutes and CTAS 1 patients in 8 minutes.

Planned Response in percentage - the percentage of time the response is expected to be within the Response Time Plan from the time the ambulance is assigned by a dispatch centre.

Performance in percentage - the percentage of time the Response Time Plan was achieved.

Population Data and Average Response Times

The population estimate, land area and population density are grouped by catchment area as determined by the ministry. Population estimate data is obtained from Statistics Canada. Land area and population density are calculated using census information and geographical maps.

Average response times is the average time from when an ambulance is assigned in response to a 9-1-1 call to when it arrives on scene for highest priority calls.

Population and geographic data for ambulance services coverage area can be influencing factors that help to explain the uniqueness in response times to emergency calls in each municipality.