Sault Ste. Marie is expanding its emergency medical services with the construction of a third EMS base in the city’s east end, aimed at reducing response times and addressing growing demand for paramedic services.
The District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board, which oversees EMS, has purchased a plot of land adjacent to 224 Bennett Boulevard for $125,000.
The new base will be the city’s first standalone EMS facility, as existing bases on Tancred Street and Old Garden River Road are attached to fire halls.
The decision to build the east-end base comes after years of steadily increasing call volumes and data showing slower response times in that area.
“Whenever I look back at our statistics, what I want to look at is our call volume, our response time to those calls… As we did that, it came to light that there are some pressures in the East End and that we could do better on our response times there,” Sault paramedic chief Katie Kirkham.
The new location, south of the railway tracks, will eliminate delays caused by trains, a recurring issue for ambulances stationed north of the tracks.
“This puts us on the south end of the railway tracks, which will actually allow us to get to the patient so that barrier is eliminated,” said the social service board’s CEO, Mike Nadeau.
“It was also part of the strategic reason why we chose this area of the community.”
The base is expected to house two ambulances operating 24 hours a day, with plans for three to four ambulance bays and leisure space for paramedics. While the final cost and design are still being determined, construction is slated to begin in 2025, with an anticipated opening in 2026.
In addition to the new base, Sault EMS is adding a new ambulance and hiring four full-time staff this summer to address increased pressure on the service.
Kirkham told CTV News that the east-end base will provide equitable access to care for residents in the area.
“Having that presence in the East is going to make anybody that’s in that area more comfortable, knowing that we’ll be able to get there faster,” she said.
The paramedic service currently operates bases on Tancred Street, Old Garden River Road, and in Garden River First Nation, with a satellite station at the Goulais River Fire Hall.
Officials say the expansion reflects the growing needs of the community and ensures timely emergency medical assistance for all residents.
