Beginning in December 2025, the Province of Ontario is changing how 9-1-1 medical calls are dispatched in Dufferin County with the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS).
The new MPDS will help ensure that medical help gets to those who need it faster in the community, so that Dufferin Paramedic Service (DCPS) has the best chance at saving you or someone you love during a critical health emergency.
What you need to know
Starting in December, when someone calls 9-1-1 in Dufferin requiring paramedic services, dispatchers will ask more detailed questions to better understand how serious an emergency is. Callers are asked to please stay calm and provide as much information as possible.
The MPDS will help prioritize life-threatening situations, meaning those in urgent need will get help faster.
If a situation is non-life-threatening, there may be a longer wait for paramedic assistance. This is because paramedics are focused on saving lives. Dispatchers will continue to monitor the situation and may call back to check in. If the condition worsens, those experiencing an emergency should call 9-1-1 again immediately.
All calls remain important to DCPS and those who require care will still receive it based on urgency. Sometimes, this might mean a longer wait for paramedic care. DCPS will prioritize emergencies like:
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Severe allergic reaction
- Difficulty breathing
- Major trauma
DCPS will still respond as quickly as possible to issues like:
- Broken bones without bleeding
- Sprains
- Flu like symptoms
Learn more about MPDS and what it means for the Dufferin community here.
