General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[danbrotherston]

Now, is there any particular reason why fire services have to be a city responsibility rather than regional, the way police and EMS are (not to mention transit, libraries and public health)?

Libraries are a city responsibility. The region ALSO runs a library program, but does so for the townships where there are no local libraries.

As for fire, that's an interesting question. FWIW, the townships run a fire program that is significantly different from our programs, it's volunteer, non-full-time. That is the kind of differentiation that tends to get lost in amalgamation.

I do know in the townships fire responds to medical and collisions because they arrive much earlier than ambulances. FWIW, I agree, we should improve paramedic services, instead of fire.