New location for EMS in Nipissing

The EMS service in Nipissing will be calling one place home next year.

Right now they’re at two locations: Ferris Drive and Beatty Street but plans have been announced to move to a new location on Seymour Street next June.

Funding for the 3 million dollar project will come from the province and 11 area municipalities.

That funding will be split 50-50.

Jean Guy Belzile is the District of Nipissing EMS Manager.

He says municipalities will see a 1 per cent hike in their levy they pay the D-SAAB.

Belzile says they needed a central location and it has taken a while to find a good location.

Paul Heinrich, the President and CEO of the North Bay Regional Health Centre loves the new location.

The EMS has been at the Beatty Street location for 4 decades.

The project is scheduled to be wrapped up towards the middle of next year with a June 2016 official opening.

Two years ago, a study showed that upgrading the two existing facilities on Ferris Drive and Beatty Street would be very expensive and so it was decided they would operate out of 1 location.

Jim Stewart is the Manager of Paramedic Services at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.

He says EMS staff in Nipissing are excited about the move.

He says they’ve outgrown their current facility as they are bigger and they’re doing more in the community.