Lobbying

Ontario College of Paramedics - FAQ

Please view the following frequently asked questions about an Ontario College of Paramedics.

Message to OPA Members for Queen's Park Lobby Day

This will be the OPA's first Queen's Park Lobby Day, and is in line with our ongoing government relations efforts.

The Lobby Day will be held on Wednesday, April 10th 2013 at the Main Legislature Building (Queen's Park) in Toronto.

We encourage participation for paramedics across the province, as it will be important to show our Association's regional representation to MPPs.

If you are not able to come for the full day, your attendance in the morning, afternoon or reception in the early evening is very welcome.

College of Paramedics

As many of you are aware, paramedics in Ontario are currently being considered for self-regulation under the Regulated Health Professions Act 1991 (RHPA). To respond to the Minister's request, and to help our profession take the next step in establishing paramedic credibility in the health care system and in the public eye, we need to hear from as many paramedics as possible to indicate the profession's support for the formation of a new regulatory College.

Proclaim May 01 Ontario First Responders Day

The Ontario Legislature will have the opportunity to demonstrate that support by entrenching May 1st of every year as First Responders Day in Ontario.

I have invited Vali Stone to be present in the legislature for the debate in recognition of her inspiration for the Bill, and I will also be inviting First Responders from our community and from across the province to join us.

Bill 115 - Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery

Ontario is creating an award to honour paramedics who have performed an act of exceptional bravery.

The Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery will be presented annually in cases where an Ontario paramedic has clearly demonstrated bravery in the course of his or her job or while off duty.

Bill 115 - Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery

Paul Patterson, a Chatham-Kent Paramedic was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, February 25th 2007 while responding to a motor vehicle collision near Blenheim, Ontario.

Bill 115, a private members bill to create an Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery has been introduced. A petition has been circulating around Ontario to support the bill and paramedics across Ontario need to act before it becomes dead in the water.

Telehealth TV Commercials

The Ministry of Health continues to release provincial TV advertisements that are suggestive of having people dial Telehealth for life threatening emergencies.

The limited scope of Telehealth is not accurately represented in television commercials. As a result, patients are being misinformed and placed at significant risk.

The Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa asked for these commercials to be pulled from television.

OMERS - Early Retirement for Paramedics

If you enjoy working as a paramedic but don't want to do it forever, this is one of those events that your whole life should stop for. If you were going to be one place during your career, you should be in Toronto at the OMERS vote on June 05. Canadian data states that 96% of paramedics do not even make it to age 55. Hence, early retirement benefits (and increased contribution rates) with no penalty are very important to our profession.

Paramedics Assaulted on the Job

As many of you know, we are currently drafting legislation that would make it a criminal offence to assault any paramedic while he or she is on duty. Currently, it is an offence to assault a police officer while he is on duty, and our new Private Member's Bill will, if passed by Parliament, extend these provisions to paramedics as well. You should know that we also have a Private Member's Bill that will extend these provisions to firefighters.

Emergency Service Provider's Insurance Protection Act

The Ontario Paramedic Association lobbied for an Act to amend the Insurance Act to protect emergency service providers from rate increases to their personal contracts of automobile insurance.