In an email to CTV News shortly after 6 p.m., Stephen Dewar, chief and general manager of the Guelph Wellington Paramedic Service, confirmed that the paramedic service “did not have ambulances available to respond to emergency calls in the City of Guelph and Wellington County’. Dewar said the current situation is dynamic and ambulances that are available are immediately assigned to waiting calls. “The issue is related to the delayed discharge of more than 10 patients at Guelph General Hospital for an extended period of time,” Dewar said. “We understand that Guelph General Hospital will not have additional capacity and will actually have less capacity overnight, so we don’t see any immediate relief.” “The provincial ambulance dispatch system will send the nearest available ambulance to all life-threatening emergency calls, but that resource will respond outside of our area and there will be a delay,” Dewar said. Dewar said Guelph Wellington paramedics and supervisors are doing everything they can to respond to calls for help as quickly as possible.
