Ontario paramedic groups say that the shortage of healthcare staff and the recent temporary closures of emergency rooms are worsening delays in transferring patients to hospitals.

Daryl Wilton, president of the Ontario Paramedic Association, said in a recent interview that delays in unloading ambulances when paramedics wait in the emergency department to transfer a patient to hospital care have increased twelvefold in the past year alone.

He said in a recent interview that a loading delay of one to two hours was previously considered very difficult, but now some patients and paramedics wait from 10 to 15 hours.

He said, "A patient can be picked up in the afternoon and not be taken off until some time the next morning."

Also, the worsening delays "have a significant impact on paramedic availability," and the effects spread to neighboring communities.

Some hospitals - including Bowmanville Hospital of Lakeridge Health and Seaforth Community Hospital in Huron County - announced closures or reduced hours before the long weekend.

Many Ontario hospitals have previously warned that emergency department closures could be a recurring problem this summer due to staff shortages.

Rural areas have been particularly affected, with communities like Perth, Clinton, and Wingham seeing their emergency rooms close for periods lasting several days.

Unloading delays preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, but paramedic groups say the problem has worsened during the health crisis.