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I the Canadian Champion, Tuesday, October 6,1998 -9 iMany options being aired for ambulance service By BRAD REAUME service to change too radically in the beginning solved and controversial. Provincial officiais councîl in December. At that timne they will be no iaîînpnun- hpîaise neonle would become very afraîd. We want to keep it. According to the study consul- lookîng for municipalities to begin narrowing A's iic organizltion l inb îiîulaicc s ,ICS I being considered, the sirens of privatization are calling loudest. Halton regional officiais were recently pre- sented with an outline of their options for reorga- nization. Provincial regulations require munici-. palities to take charge of ambulance service by ianuary 1, 2000. The options for reorganizing the present ser- vice are so wide-ranging that it is likely Halton and other Greater Toronto Area (GTA) commu- nities will continue with the current system while bringing in change slowly. At the heart of the issue is an attempt to blend aIl emergency services. "This is an emotional issue," said Burlington Councillor Linda Schreiber. "I don't want the Wally Hunter hat o itakC itlc stcpe Halton Hilîs Councillor John Day agreed, say- ing small steps and building trust among partners are necessary for the new system to succeed. It is likely that Halton's ambulance services will be integrated with at least one other munici- pality, likely Peel Region. Southemn sections of Halton are covered currently by the Halton- Mississauga Ambulance service. Northern Halton is covered by a different one. However, Peel Region is not participating in a joint study of the issue. A study by IBI Group consultants is being cost-shared by regional gov- ernments in Halton, York and Durham. "We have to be flexible," said Burlington Councillor Carole D'Amelio. "It's important to be able to, change as the process unfolds." Control of dispatcb services remains unre- breaks the die on controversial road By BRAD REAUME The Champion They know where they are going but can't decide how to get there. Members of Milton's administration and planning committee agreed a private road off Five Side Road will eventually become a municipal one. However, it took a vote from committee chair Wally Hunter to break a tie and endorse taking a wait-and- see approach. Milton likely will wait for an Ontario Municipal Board (0MB) decision on a potential land severance in the area before proceeding with discussions on how to convert the roadway to municipal control. The committee agreed to continue to oppose the severance. The decision is sub- cee TOUCHY on page 19 WlyHne HALTON DISTRIUCT SCHOOL BOARD School Closing and Consolidation General Information Evening October 7, 1998 7:00 p.m. A general Information Evening will be held at several locations as follows: AREA Milton Halton Hilis Burlington East (East of Guelph Line) Burlington West (West of Guelph Line) Oakville North (North of Q.E.W.) Oakville South (South of Q.E.W.) LOCATION Milton District High Sehool Georgetown District High School Nelson High School M.M. Robinson High Sehool White Oaks Secondary T.A. Blakelock High School If anyone is in doubt as to the appropriate location to attend, please check with your local school office. Dusty Papke Ethel Gardiner IChair of the BoardII Director of ti bc seamless and unattected by municipal bor- ders. Municipalities have suggested that it is most efficient for them to control dispatch, along with individual ambulances. Halton officiaIs will have to consider several business models for the new service, including setting up ambulances as a public utility, using a private contract, grandfathering the present orga- nization or joint arrangements with other munic- ipalities. According tu IBI's project manager Mary Rubenstein, the principles which must be fol- lowed in the reorganization include universal access, seamless services across boundaries and integration with other health services. The consultants will provide a report to Halton I heree ccicuenIl11y fI auhîoc cr'pcraI in' the GTA. There are 400,000 catis each year for service, including 240,000 catis in Toronto and 28.000 in Halton. Cal volumes are expected to increase significantly in the next five years in Halton as a result of population growth and aging. Consultants looked closely at several North American communities to determine if ambu- lance service models can be parachuted into the GTA. Calgary runs its service as a city department, Las Vegas bas hired a private operator, Richmond, Virginia contracta the service out with a commiùttee of council running the opera- tion, and Sani Diego County contracts out both ambulance and fire services. OCTODER 7 & 8 OBMETRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE North Building: Blroctly accossIblO tofr ont St. Eoyexciding Tnlbutes 10 Legendauy Entertoineu sd os... -9 C PR jjO jjj.4j17Y U<rLAfRJg, vvw. 1ri 1 - -. -1.u - ...ivau TTt i S "5OLu .H'UR¶'Y!9:30AM . 'ILJ:OO N I.] î1ER 7Cr8, 99 'l