Cambridge Expands Paramedic Services to Enhance Emergency Response

The city of Cambridge is set to enhance its emergency response capabilities with the establishment of a new paramedic services post at 651 Concession Road. This initiative, approved by Cambridge’s committee of adjustment, aims to improve ambulance response times and coverage in the city’s southern area. The small facility will serve as a base for ambulance crews, allowing them to park and rest between calls, which is expected to significantly expedite their response to emergencies.

Regional officials have acknowledged that Cambridge has been facing longer ambulance response times compared to nearby municipalities, Kitchener and Waterloo. During a recent regional meeting, Councillor Doug Craig voiced concerns over this disparity and urged for solutions to align Cambridge’s performance with its neighbors. Paramedic Chief John Riches highlighted that one major factor contributing to the slow response times is the off-load delay at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

“The average wait for ambulances to transfer patients into hospital care at Cambridge Memorial was 68 minutes in the 90th percentile from January to June 2025,” Riches explained. This delay is nearly double that of other regional hospitals, such as the midtown and Queen’s sites, which reported waits of 37 minutes and 33 minutes respectively. While Riches noted some improvements compared to 2024, he emphasized that resource availability remains a critical challenge.

The first half of 2025 saw paramedic services responding to 37,162 calls across the region, an increase from 36,500 calls the previous year. Of those, 15,765 originated from Cambridge. Notably, incidents classified as Code Zero, when no ambulances are available, decreased from 33 in 2024 to just four this year. Regional staff attribute these improvements to enhanced efficiency and collaboration with local hospitals. Despite progress, Cambridge’s response times still lag behind other areas.

Currently, paramedic crews operate from three locations within Cambridge: 120 Maple Grove Rd., 91 St. Andrews St., and 465 Pinebush Rd., Unit 1. The new facility is designed to accommodate up to six ambulances simultaneously. Although staff will be centrally managed, resources will be allocated based on time of day, call volume, and crew workloads.

The construction of the new station is projected to be completed by late 2027, with a total estimated capital cost of $12.6 million. According to the regional announcement, “This new station is intended to support overall paramedic services response time performance for all of Cambridge and the southern part of the Region of Waterloo.”

Riches stated that efforts are ongoing to learn from other paramedic services across Ontario that have achieved faster response times in rural and suburban areas. Craig expressed a desire for further exploration of these successful models, suggesting that insights from other regions could be beneficial in enhancing Cambridge’s emergency services.

As the project moves forward, the local community anticipates that the new paramedic services post will play a crucial role in improving health and safety outcomes for residents.