Member Profile
Halton Paramedic Services delivers life-saving emergency care 24/7 across Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville. With call volumes projected to double to 100,000 annually by 2034, Halton Paramedic Services is preparing for major growth with new hubs opening in Oakville (2028) and Halton Hills (2029).
At a glance:
The Challenge
Halton Paramedic Services faced a pivotal shift when long-standing hospital purchasing agreements ended. To prepare for growth, the team needed to manage rising costs, shortages, and logistical inefficiencies while building independent procurement capabilities.
Key challenges:Halton Paramedic Services faced a pivotal shift when long-standing hospital purchasing agreements ended.
To prepare for growth, the team needed to manage rising costs, shortages, and logistical inefficiencies while building independent procurement capabilities.
- Transition from hospital-based to independent procurement
- Rising equipment and medication costs
- Limited visibility into supply disruptions
- Inefficient pickup and delivery logistics
The Solution
Halton Paramedic Services partnered with HealthPRO Canada to access national purchasing power, standardized processes, and expert support. The partnership provided immediate relief from supply chain pressures and ensured paramedics had access to the products they trust.
What HealthPRO Canada delivered:
- Cost savings on equipment and medication
- Streamlined logistics and inventory processes
- Real-time updates on shortages, recalls, and packaging
- Reliable delivery and supplier support
- Dedicated Member Success Manager for onboarding and ongoing guidance
The Results
- Up to 50% savings on equipment, medications, and staff time previously spent on sourcing, contracts, and recalls
- Improved visibility and preparedness through proactive shortage, recall, and packaging updates via reports, alerts, and member communications
- Faster, more reliable access to supplies supported by national supplier relationships and professional delivery services
- Reduced waste and recovered value, including credits from expired medications and better inventory control
- Stronger cash flow and operational efficiency by carrying less excess inventory while maintaining readiness for emergencies
The Story
As Halton Paramedic Services prepares for a period of unprecedented growth, the organization found itself at a critical turning point. Serving Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville with life-saving emergency care 24/7, the service is projecting call volumes to double to 100,000 annually by 2034. With new paramedic hubs planned for Oakville in 2028 and Halton Hills in 2029, the pressure to scale efficiently was already mounting.
At the same time, long-standing purchasing agreements with local hospitals came to an end. This required Halton Paramedic Services to transition from hospital-based purchasing to fully independent procurement.
“We needed HealthPRO Canada because call volumes will double to 100,000 annually by 2034, and our purchasing agreements with local hospitals had wrapped up,” says Randy McDougall, Superintendent of Logistics, Halton Paramedic Services. “Without them, we would have immediately added at least one full-time logistics employee to handle the growth.”
The shift created several immediate challenges. Costs for equipment and medications were rising. Supply shortages were becoming more frequent. The team had limited visibility into disruptions, recalls, and packaging changes. Pickup and delivery logistics were inefficient, consuming staff time and increasing the risk of expired inventory.
To meet these challenges head-on, Halton Paramedic Services partnered with HealthPRO Canada.
Through the partnership, Halton gained access to national purchasing power, standardized procurement processes, and expert supply chain support. This provided immediate relief from operational pressures and ensured paramedics could continue using the trusted products they rely on in emergency situations.
“HealthPRO Canada’s pricing is phenomenal,” says McDougall. “Because they know which products work for their members, those products are under contract. Our paramedics get the products they are familiar with, which is critical for both our paramedics and their patients.”
One of the most significant benefits was improved visibility into supply disruptions. HealthPRO Canada’s proactive communication, including weekly drug shortage reports, real-time alerts, and guidance on substitutions, helped the logistics team stay ahead of issues that previously caused last-minute scrambles.
“HealthPRO Canada is on top of it and takes responsibility,” says Andrew Dobson, Logistics Officer, Halton Paramedic Services. “We no longer have to visit Health Canada’s website ourselves to track drug shortages and recalls.”
The partnership also transformed inventory and delivery operations. With reliable next-day deliveries and professional handling of medications, Halton Paramedic Services was able to reduce excess inventory, recover value from expired stock, and improve overall cash flow.
“Because we trust HealthPRO Canada’s deliveries, which are typically the next day, we carry less inventory,” says McDougall. “That means fewer expired medications and better cash flow.”
Overall, transitioning procurement to HealthPRO Canada delivered up to 50 percent savings in both costs and staff time. Time spent sourcing products, managing contracts, and responding to recalls was reduced by 50 percent. This freed staff to focus on supporting frontline paramedics and preparing for future expansion.
Looking ahead, Halton Paramedic Services now has the procurement infrastructure needed to support its rapid growth with confidence.
“Take full advantage of HealthPRO Canada and just ask the question,” says McDougall. “In my experience, their response is almost always, ‘Yes, our system can do that and yes, we can help you.’”