Regional council approves location of new paramedic headquarters

Regional council has approved the location for a new paramedic services headquarters for the area.

The Waterloo Region Emergency Services Training and Research Complex will be build on Erb's Road in Wilmot Township.

Plans are still in the early stages, paramedic services chief Stephen Van Valkenburg said, but the hope is the new facility will be open by fall of 2019.

• Paramedics respond to record number of calls in 2015

The land was already owned by the region, which means "we don't have to add time and money to the project," Van Valkenburg said.

The Erb's Road location will also allow paramedic services to work in a divisional model, with bases in the north and south parts of the community, he said.

"The Maple Grove station is full," Van Valkenburg said. "We've run out of room for both vehicles and staff."

The new base will make room at Maple Grove station, and allow both stations to expand in the coming years, he said.

The need for paramedic services will continue to grow in the next 10 years, Van Valkenburg said. In 2016 there were 50,00 calls for service, a number which is expected to rise to 73,000 by 2026 and reach 88,000 by 2031.

The new location will provide enough space to last paramedic services for at least 15 years, he said.