Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee

Agenda

Meeting #:
05
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Andrew S. Haydon Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation
Members:
  • Chair: Councillor Riley Brockington, 
  • Vice-chair: Councillor David Hill, 
  • Councillor Jessica Bradley, 
  • Councillor Steve Desroches, 
  • Councillor Laura Dudas, 
  • Councillor Sean Devine, 
  • Councillor Allan Hubley, 
  • Councillor Laine Johnson, 
  • Councillor Clarke Kelly, 
  • Councillor Matt Luloff, 
  • and Councillor Stéphanie Plante 

Christopher Zwierzchowski, Committee Coordinator (613) 580-2424, ext. 21359

Christopher.Zwierzchowski@ottawa.ca

 

 


Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.


Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.


Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on Wednesday, June 28 in Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee Report 5.


The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Thursday, June 15, 2023.

File No. ACS2023-EPS-BYL-0002 - City-wide

  • Report recommendations

    That Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee recommend that Council:

    1. Receive the consultant’s report entitled “Study of On-Demand Accessible Taxicab Services in the City of Ottawa”, attached as Document 1 and referenced in this report.
    2. Direct staff to:
      1.  develop, negotiate and implement a three-year pilot contract, with two optional one-year extension periods subject to mutual agreement of the City and the contractor, for a centralized dispatch service for on-demand wheelchair accessible vehicles, in consultation with the Chief Procurement Officer and in accordance with the Procurement By-law; and,
      2. evaluate and report back to Committee and Council on the efficacy of the pilot.
    3.  Approve an annual incentive grant, on a three-year pilot basis, of:
      1.  $5,000 per year for three years for each accessible taxicab plate holder licensee or vehicle owner for investment in a fully wheelchair accessible vehicle subject to eligibility criteria prescribed by the Chief License Inspector; and,
      2. up to $2,000 per year for each accessible taxicab driver for fulfilling criteria prescribed by the Chief License Inspector including accepting all on-demand wheelchair accessible trip requests and maintaining the vehicle operational and available for dispatched requests 50 hours per-week, 48 weeks annually;
        and, where plate holder licensees or vehicle owners who are also licensed and actively working drivers would be eligible to receive both incentives. 
    4.  Approve the implementation of a $15 per trip contribution payable to the accessible taxicab driver for each completed on-demand wheelchair accessible fare, subject to the eligibility criteria prescribed by the Chief License Inspector, on a three-year pilot basis. 
    5.  Approve amendments to the Vehicle-for-Hire By-law to take effect upon approval by Council, to:
      1.  reduce the accessible plate holder license transfer fee to $312 per plate transfer; and
      2. repeal the requirement that standard and accessible taxicab vehicles must be less than five model years of age upon entry to the fleet; and
      3.  provide for an increase of the current ten-year vehicle age limit to twelve model years for taxicab vehicles that are fully wheelchair accessible, fully electric or hybrid.

File No. ACS2023-EPS-OPS-0001 - City-wide

  • Report recommendation

    That the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee recommend Council receive this report for information.

File No. ACS2023-EPS-OPS-0002 - City Wide

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee recommend that Council: 

    1.  Receive the report for information.
    2.  Approve the following growth pressures be considered in the 2024 Draft Budget: 
      1.  the addition of 23.00 permanent full-time equivalents (FTEs) with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,010,000, and an annualization of $820,000 in the 2025 Draft Budget, and the purchase of two (2) emergency response vehicles with an estimated capital budget requirement of $680,000 and operating budget of $250,000, to help mitigate frontline staff workload as a result of increased emergency call demand pressures; and
      2.  the addition of 3.00 permanent FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $370,000 towards psychological supports to support employee wellness and reduce occupational stress injuries.
    3. Approve the following offload delay pressures be considered in the 2024 Draft Budget: 
      1. the addition of 17.00 FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,080,000, and the purchase of one (1) emergency response vehicle with an estimated capital budget requirement of $165,000 and operating budget of $56,000, subject to the confirmation of provincial and/or local hospital funding, to help mitigate frontline staff hours lost in area hospitals beyond 30-minutes, which is reducing the availability of ambulances to respond to calls for service and impeding the Ottawa Paramedic Service’s ability to meet response time standards. 
    4.  Approve the following growth pressures be considered into the 2025 Draft Budget: 
      1. the addition of 23.00 permanent FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,050,000, and an annualization of $840,00 in the 2026 Draft Budget, and the purchase of two (2) emergency response vehicles with an estimated capital budget requirement of $700,000 and operating budget of $260,000 to help mitigate frontline staff workload as a result of increased emergency call demand pressures.
    5.   Approve the following offload delay pressures be considered into the 2025 Draft Budget: 
      1.  the addition of 17.00 FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,130,000, and the purchase of one (1) emergency response vehicle with an estimated capital budget requirement of $168,000 and operating budget of $57,000, subject to the confirmation of provincial and/or local hospital funding, to help mitigate frontline staff hours lost in area hospitals beyond 30-minutes, which is reducing the availability of ambulances to respond to calls for service and impeding the Ottawa Paramedic Service’s ability to meet response time standards. 
    6. Approve the following growth pressures be considered into the 2026 Draft Budget:
      1. the addition of 23.00 permanent FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,090,000, and an annualization of $860,000 in the 2027 Draft Budget, and the purchase of two (2) emergency response vehicles with an estimated capital budget requirement of $710,000 and operating budget of $260,000 to help mitigate frontline staff workload as a result of increased emergency call demand pressures. 
    7. Approve the following offload delay pressures be considered into the 2026 Draft    Budget: 
      1.  the addition of 17.00 FTEs with an estimated operating budget requirement of $2,170,000, and the purchase of one (1) emergency response vehicle with an estimated capital budget requirement of $172,000 and operating budget of $58,000, subject to the confirmation of provincial and/or local hospital funding, to help mitigate frontline staff hours lost in area hospitals beyond 30-minutes, which is reducing the availability of ambulances to respond to calls for service and impeding the Ottawa Paramedic Service’s ability to meet response time standards. 
    8. Subject to the approval of recommendations 3, 5 and 7, direct staff to report back to Council as part of the 2024 budget process on the confirmation of provincial and/or local area hospital funding. 
    9. Direct the Mayor to engage with the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Health, outlining the ongoing impacts associated with offload delays and advocate to the Province to implement solutions immediately to reduce offload delays and the number of occurrences and duration of when no ambulances are available in the City of Ottawa (level zero), to ensure public safety and help the Ottawa Paramedic Service meet response time performance standards.

Next Meeting


Thursday, 21 September 2023.

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