Ford's cut to London paramedics unfairly forcing city to consider tax hike: NDP

QUEEN’S PARK — The NDP MPP for London-Fanshawe, Teresa Armstrong, said the Ford government freezing the Middlesex-London Paramedic Services budget is putting the people of London and Middlesex County at risk, and forcing the city to choose between funding life-saving paramedic services and raising property taxes.

The Ford’s funding freeze will create a $750,000 hole in the Middlesex-London Paramedic Services’ budget, and London is considering making up the shortfall by raising property taxes.

“When a medical emergency strikes, people in London and in Middlesex County need to be able to rest assured they can call 911 and receive immediate help from local emergency medical services,” Armstrong said. “Ford’s cruel cuts to our paramedic services will mean either a dangerous service cut that will put peoples’ lives in danger, or an increased property tax bill that people cannot afford. Neither choice is fair.

Londoners and folks in Middlesex County deserve more support from the provincial government, not less. They certainly don’t deserve to be forced into a corner to choose between critical, life-saving services and an affordable property tax bill.”