Ambulance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.19

• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Year: 2000

Ambulance Act

R.S.O. 1990, Chapter A.19

Consolidation Period: From October 19, 2021 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2019, c. 7, Sched. 17, s. 37.

CONTENTS

PART I
DEFINITIONs

Definitions

1 (1) In this Act,

“air ambulance services” includes all services provided by an ambulance service in connection with the transportation of persons by air; (“services d’ambulance aériens”)

“ambulance” means a conveyance used or intended to be used for the transportation of persons who,

(a) have suffered a trauma or an acute onset of illness either of which could endanger their life, limb or function, or

(b) have been judged by a physician or a health care provider designated by a physician to be in an unstable medical condition and to require, while being transported, the care of a physician, nurse, other health care provider, emergency medical attendant or paramedic, and the use of a stretcher; (“ambulance”)

“ambulance service” means, subject to subsection (2), a service that is held out to the public as available for the conveyance of persons by ambulance; (“service d’ambulance”)

“base hospital” means a hospital designated by the Minister under clause 4 (2) (d); (“hôpital principal”)

“base hospital program” means a program operated by a base hospital for the purpose of,

(a) delegating controlled acts to paramedics,

(b) providing medical advice relating to patient care and transportation of patients to ambulance and communication services and to emergency medical attendants, paramedics and other employees of the services,

(c) providing quality assurance information and advice relating to patient care to ambulance services and to emergency medical attendants and paramedics, and

(d) providing the continuing medical education required to maintain the delegation of controlled acts to paramedics; (“programme de l’hôpital principal”)

“Board” means the Health Services Appeal and Review Board under the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Appeal and Review Boards Act, 1998; (“Commission”)

“board of directors”, with regard to a designated air ambulance service provider, means the board of directors or other governing body, however described or constituted; (“conseil d’administration”)

“certificate” means a certificate issued to a person who has successfully completed the certification process under subsection 8 (2) or (4); (“certificat”)

“certifying authority” means the person, body or organization appointed under section 9; (“autorité chargée de la délivrance des certificats”)

“communication service” means a communication service referred to in clause 4 (1) (a); (“service de communication”)

“delivery agent” means a person or organization designated as a delivery agent under subsection 6.7 (1) and includes a delivery agent under section 6.10; (“agent de prestation”)

“designated air ambulance service provider” means a person,

(a) that is designated in the regulations, and

(b) at the time of designation holds a certificate under section 8 that refers to the provision of air ambulance services; (“fournisseur désigné de services d’ambulance aériens”)

“designated area” means an area described in an order made under subsection 6.7 (1) and includes an area deemed to be a designated area under section 6.10; (“zone désignée”)

“Director” means the person appointed under section 17.2 as the Director and, where more than one person has been appointed, means the person who is the Director for the purposes of the provision in which the term appears; (“directeur”)

“emergency medical attendant” means a person employed by or a volunteer in an ambulance service who meets the qualifications for an emergency medical attendant as set out in the regulations, but does not include a paramedic or a physician, nurse or other health care provider who attends on a call for an ambulance; (“ambulancier”)

“land ambulance services” includes all services provided by an ambulance service in connection with the transportation of persons by land; (“services d’ambulance terrestres”)

“local municipality” has the same meaning as in the Municipal Act, 2001 and includes a band within the meaning of the Indian Act (Canada); (“municipalité locale”)

“medical director” means a physician designated by a base hospital as the medical director of a base hospital program; (“directeur médical”)

“Minister” means the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care; (“ministre”)

“Ministry” means the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; (“ministère”)

“paramedic” means a person employed by or a volunteer in an ambulance service who meets the qualifications for an emergency medical attendant as set out in the regulations, and who is authorized to perform one or more controlled medical acts under the authority of a base hospital medical director, but does not include a physician, nurse or other health care provider who attends on a call for an ambulance; (“auxiliaire médical”)

“regulations” means the regulations made under this Act; (“règlements”)

“upper-tier municipality” has the same meaning as in the Municipal Act, 2001. (“municipalité de palier supérieur”) R.S.O. 1990, c. A.19, s. 1; 1996, c. 32, s. 59 (1, 2); 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 2 (1-7); 1998, c. 18, Sched. G, s. 45 (1); 1998, c. 34, s. 1; 1999, c. 9, s. 1; 1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 1; 2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table; 2004, c. 3, Sched. A, s. 76 (1); 2009, c. 33, Sched. 18, s. 17 (2); 2014, c. 13, Sched. 2, s. 1; 2017, c. 25, Sched. 1, s. 1.

Definition, “ambulance service”

(2) In Parts III and IV,

“ambulance service” includes only those ambulance services, as defined in subsection (1), that provide transportation by land. 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 2 (8).

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

1996, c. 32, s. 59 (1, 2) - 6/03/1997; 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 2 (1-8) - 1/01/1998;1998, c. 18, Sched. G, s. 45 (1) - 1/02/1999; 1998, c. 34, s. 1 - 5/03/1999;1999, c. 9, s. 1 - 23/12/1999; 1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 1 (1-3) - 1/05/2000

2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table - 01/01/2003

2004, c. 3, Sched. A, s. 76 (1) - 01/11/2004

2009, c. 33, Sched. 18, s. 17 (2) - 15/12/2009

2014, c. 13, Sched. 2, s. 1 - 01/07/2015

2017, c. 25, Sched. 1, s. 1 (1) - 01/11/2019; 2017, c. 25, Sched. 1, s. 1 (2-4) - 12/12/2017

PART II
PROVINCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Administration of Act

2 The Minister is responsible for the administration and enforcement of this Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. A.19, s. 2.

Advisory council

3 The Minister may establish an advisory council for the purpose of advising the Minister on matters respecting the provision of ambulance services in the Province. 1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 2.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 2 - 1/05/2000

Functions of Minister

4 (1) The Minister has the duty and the power,

(a) to ensure the existence throughout Ontario of a balanced and integrated system of ambulance services and communication services used in dispatching ambulances;

(b) Repealed: 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 5 (2).

(c) to establish, maintain and operate communication services, alone or in co-operation with others, and to fund such services;

(d) to establish standards for the management, operation and use of ambulance services and to ensure compliance with those standards;

(e) to monitor, inspect and evaluate ambulance services and investigate complaints respecting ambulance services; and

(f) to fund and ensure the provision of air ambulance services. R.S.O. 1990, c. A.19, s. 4 (1); 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 5 (1-4); 1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 3.

Powers of Minister

(2) The Minister has, in addition to the powers under subsection (1), the power,

(a) to establish and operate, alone or in co-operation with one or more organizations, institutes and centres for the training of personnel for ambulance services and communication services;

(b) to require hospitals to establish, maintain and operate ambulance services and communication services;

(c) to establish regions and districts for the purposes of ambulance services and communication services; and

(d) to designate hospitals as base hospitals that shall monitor the quality of the care provided by ambulance services in the regions and districts established by the Minister under clause (c) and perform such other functions as may be assigned to them by regulation. 1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 5 (5).

Same, certain corporations

(2.1) The Minister may designate one or more corporations without share capital as having the powers and responsibilities of a base hospital under this Act and, where the Minister has done so,

(a) any provision of this Act or the regulations that applies to a base hospital shall also be deemed to apply to the corporation unless this Act or the regulations specifically provide otherwise; and

(b) the corporation continues to have any other powers, responsibilities and capacities that a corporation can have under this Act or the regulations. 2005, c. 31, Sched. 1, s. 1.

Non-application of Legislation Act, 2006

(2.2) Part III of the Legislation Act, 2006 does not apply to the designation of a hospital under clause (2) (d) or of a corporation without share capital under subsection (2.1). 2005, c. 31, Sched. 1, ss. 1, 2.

Grants

(3) The Minister may make grants for the purpose of providing or ensuring the provision of services under this Act. 2007, c. 10, Sched. A, s. 1.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 5 (1-5) - 1/01/1998; 1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 3 (1-3) - 1/05/2000

2005, c. 31, Sched. 1, s. 1 - 15/12/2005; 2005, c. 31, Sched. 1, s. 2 (3) - 19/10/2006

2007, c. 10, Sched. A, s. 1 - 4/06/2007

PART III
RESPONSIBILITIES OF UPPER-TIER MUNICIPALITIES

General

5 Repealed: 2009, c. 33, Sched. 18, s. 1 (1).

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

1997, c. 30, Sched. A, s. 6 - 1/01/1998; 1999, c. 9, s. 2 - 23/12/1999;1999, c. 12, Sched. J, s. 4 - 1/05/2000

2009, c. 33, Sched. 18, s. 1 (1) - 15/12/2009

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