MOHLTC - Emergency Health Services Branch

Public Information

Health Care Providers

News Media

Text Only Version

Emergency Health
Services Branch

Ambulance Dispatch

Land Ambulance

Air Ambulance

Education and Training

Ambulance Billing

EHS Statistics

EHS Contacts

Emergency Health Services Branch

Ontario's Emergency Health Services (EHS) system is a series of interrelated land and air emergency medical services and programs designed to provide timely response and prehospital care.

The Emergency Health Services Branch achieves this by :

Overseeing air and land ambulance services, as well as the communications centres responsible for dispatching those ambulance services;
Managing and regulating the land ambulance services provided by upper tier municipalities and District Social Services Administration Board, as well as providing administrative, operational, and technical support of ambulance services;
Establishing standards for the management, operation, and use of ambulance services and assuring compliance with those standards;
Maintaining close working relationships:

with the municipalities and designated delivery agents responsible for the proper provision of land ambulance services;
with health care providers and facilities;
with ambulance communications centres, and
with other ministries and system stakeholders; and,

Monitoring, inspecting and evaluating ambulance services and investigating complaints respecting ambulance service delivery.

Emergency Health Services Branch also plays an important role in provincial emergency medical services by participating in internal government, local and national conferences, as well as working groups dedicated to emergency preparedness, emergency response and terrorism. Through the Government Mobile Communications Project, Emergency Health Services Branch is developing a common internal government communications infrastructure for Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care clients across the province.

Together, the balanced and integrated system of air ambulance, land ambulance, and ambulance communications services reduces mortality and morbidity due to sudden illness or injury by providing the regulatory framework and standards for ambulance services delivery. This ensures the public has access to rapid pre-hospital emergency medical intervention and safe, efficient transportation for emergency patients and medically essential non-emergency patients to and from health facilities.



Emergency Health Services Branch 5700 Yonge Street, 6th Floor Toronto, Ontario Canada M2M 4K5 Tel : 1-800-461-6431 (Toll-free in Ontario only) Fax : 416-327-7911 Email : ehs.websitecontact@sdsx.moh.gov.on.ca	Call the ministry INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 (Toll-free in Ontario only) TTY 1-800-387-5559 Hours of operation : 8:30am - 5:00pm