Ontario Construction News staff writer
Toronto has broken ground on a 90,000-sq. ft. paramedic station recognized for its sustainable design that will house up to 40 ambulances and 20 other emergency response vehicles, the city said in a news release.
The two-storey, Toronto Paramedic Services Multi-Function Station 02 will be built at 300 Progress Ave. in Scarborough will include a state-of-the-art logistics and equipment services area, administrative offices, and will become home to the service’s education and development team.
The city awarded the construction contract for the Multi-Function Paramedic Station at 300 Progress Ave. to Pomerleau Inc., as the general contractor. The negotiated contract is valued at $96.15 million and is scheduled to run through April 30, 2028.
Toronto Paramedic Services Multi-Function Station 02 received an Award of Merit from the 2021 Canadian Architect Awards for its net-zero and energy saving design.
The facility will boast a mass-timber structure, a solar wall, geothermal heating, and a photovoltaic roofscape to generate more than 1,000,000 kilowatt-hours annually to entirely offset the building’s electricity demand.
Combined with an all-electrical mechanical system, triple pane glazed windows, high-thermal resistance walls and roofing, the facility will meet Toronto’s net zero standards, the city said.
Construction is slated for completion in early 2029.
Mayor Olivia Chow said as the city continues to grow and demands on services increase, Toronto is investing to modernize paramedic tools and facilities and hiring more than 330 paramedics.
Toronto Paramedic Services, the largest municipal Paramedic Service in Canada, says it provides 24-hour pre-hospital emergency and non-emergency care for ill or injured individuals and offers public education programs to promote rapid and appropriate use of emergency medical resources in time of need.