Committee approves budget with key investments in emergency and protective services

The Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee today approved its portion of Draft Budget 2025. The City’s Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee today approved its portion of Draft Budget 2025. These 2025 investments will help increase City resources for emergency and protective services and ensure that help is available and arrives quickly when needed. The City’s emergency and protective services would have a net operating budget of $272.5 million in 2025 and capital investments totaling $17.9 million. Funding committed through this budget will help to address population growth, intensification, and a growing number of high priority calls. The City continues to renew and maintain its emergency response facilities, equipment and technology, and the budget includes $2.4 million to hire 23 new paramedics and $600,000 to procure two new vehicles to help address rising response volumes. An additional $400,000 is earmarked to hire four new paramedic support staff as well. The City would invest $3.4 million to renew and replace emergency medical equipment​, and the budget commits $2.6 million to upgrade 7,000 radios used by first responders, ensuring reliable communications service. For Ottawa Fire Services, the draft budget provides $2.3 million to hire 22 new firefighters to address population growth in Stittsville and Richmond, and to convert Station 81 from a fully volunteer station to a composite station. An additional $180,000 would be used to make permanent one dedicated employee to better support the mental health needs of Ottawa Fire Services staff. The City would invest $750,000 to renew and replace specialty tools and equipment, which includes the transition from gas-powered to battery-powered options. The City would invest $1.3 million for 10 new By-law and Regulatory Service staff and eight new by-law vehicles to improve response times, support business licensing and enforce property standards. The budget includes additional investments of $528,000 to renew and replace communication, technology and safety equipment, as well as $115,000 in operating costs and $475,000 in capital costs toward the purchase of new hybrid or electric vehicles and equipment that will support increased service requests. The budget includes $142,500 to fund one new staff position to support Event Central and to help address the growing number of complex special events and film projects in Ottawa. Council will consider Draft Budget 2025 on Wednesday, December 11.