Committee of the Whole Highlights for Kawartha Lakes City Council

Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service 2023 Annual Report 

Fire Chief Terry Jones presented the Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service’s (KLFRS) Annual Report for 2023 to Council. The purpose of the report is to assess the Fire Service’s performance and maintain transparency and accountability by effectively communicating with our community and stakeholders. One of the goals of the report was to develop benchmarks and performance measurements to support departmental strategies and business planning that ensures municipal assets and operations are managed efficiently and effectively. The presentation to Council provided an overview on departmental operations, fire prevention and public education, firefighter training, critical incident stress management and peer support, 2023 emergency incidents, and a brief overview on each of our 19 fire stations.

The Department will remain focused on meeting the evolving needs of our community and advancing our strategic priorities. We will continue to invest in training, resources and personnel to further improve emergency response times, enhance firefighter readiness, and prevent and mitigate fire-related risks.

Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service Operational Key Performance Indicators Presentation

Paramedic Chief Sara Johnston presented the Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service’s Operational Key Performance Indicators for 2023 to Council. She provided an overview of a suite of operational key performance indicators (O-KPIs) that the Paramedic Service uses to track operational efficiency and set benchmarks for ongoing evaluation. The O-KPIs will inform evidence-driven transformation within the service. Key findings from the O-KPIs include:

1. The demand for service and resource level has stabilized to a consistent rate of increase while the System Utilization Rates/system business is trending towards maximum acceptable levels. This validates the Paramedic Service Master Plan which recommends adding resources to stabilize system performance and maintain service levels.
2. Financial performance is strong with operating costs per unit remaining below Municipal Benchmarking Network comparator averages.
3. Human resources and staffing; lost time injury rates among staff require attention but the numbers show that a high-quality level of care is consistently provided to the community.
4. Fleet operational costs exceeded the 2023 budget due to high fuel and maintenance costs. Safety measures need to be considered to decrease vehicle incident frequency and strategies to reduce fleet emissions are also required.
5. The department developed a Patient Experience Survey to qualify service delivery expectations and provide a meaningful measure of performance feedback from the community to be incorporated into future O-KPI reporting. The survey will be available to the community during Paramedic’s Week (May 19 to May 25).

For more information, read the Paramedic Service Operational Key Performance Indicators report to Council.

For an overview of the O-KPI’s shared within the report and presentation view the Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service’s 2023 O-KPIs one-pager.

The following proposed Heritage Designations were brought to Committee of the Whole:

• Proposed Heritage Designation of 16 to 22 King Street East, Village of Omemee (Commercial House Hotel) – This property, also known as the Commercial House Hotel, was constructed in 1893 as a hotel and is a representative example of Second Empire style architecture in Omemee.
• Proposed Heritage Designation of 24 to 26 King Street East, Village of Omemee (McNeely’s General Store)) – This property, also known as the McNeely’s General Store, was constructed around 1868 and is a unique example of Victorian commercial architecture in downtown Omemee. It’s one of Omemee’s only commercial buildings to predate 1890.