Last week, Peterborough County Council approved the purchase of four new ambulances at a cost of just over $1 million.
Ryan Moloney, Deputy Chief of Operations for Peterborough Paramedics, presented a report to council last Wednesday stating that the Peterborough County/City Paramedics (PCCP) are scheduled to have four of their Type III ambulances replaced next year.
However, they need approval to pre-purchase these vehicles as it takes anywhere from 15 to 18 months to build and deliver the ambulances from time of purchase.
Moloney told the Herald that a Type III ambulance is the standard model used across North America and refers to the size and configuration of the vehicle.
He said, “It’s the style most people typically recognize as a traditional ambulance. In contrast, Type I and Type II ambulances are smaller and more van-like in design. These are primarily used for patient transport rather than for providing full patient care during transport.”
Moloney went on to explain that PCCP only uses Type III ambulances in tier fleet which is common for most ambulance services across the province. PCCP has a 17-vehicle-fleet that are on a five-year replacement schedule.
Moloney told the Herald, “While that may seem relatively short, it’s important to consider that our ambulances operate around the clock, 365 days a year. As a result, they accumulate significant mileage and wear typically over 350,000 kilometers, by the time they are replaced. If a unit is still in good condition at the end of its service life, we may retain it in our fleet as a spare. Otherwise, it is usually decommissioned and sold at auction.”
His report stated that replacing these four ambulances as planned in 2026 is necessary to stay on the recommended five-year replacement cycle and will help control rising maintenance and repair costs.
By placing the order sooner, we can get in line earlier with the manufacturer and lock in a delivery date.
The total cost of these four vehicles would be $1,086,839.00. This would be funded by the PCCP Long Term Plan Shared Reserve.
Moloney explained that the entire Paramedic budget (including the purchase of the Ambulances) is shared with the Province, County and City with the province picking up approximately 50 per cent of the Budget.
His report went on to say that in 2023, Council approved a standardization agreement with Crestline Coach Ltd. for sole source purchasing for Ambulances.
Crestline Coach is one of two certified vendors by the Ministry of Health for specific models of Type III Ambulances for use in Ontario. County Council approved the recommendation and provided approval for the pre-purchase of these ambulances.
