If approved by the province, a unique pilot project would have granted Ottawa Paramedics permission to utilize taxi fleets more frequently. It’s all part on an ongoing effort to transport non-urgent patients to hospitals with greater efficiency, while also avoiding Level Zero scenarios in the National Capital Region. We need our ambulances ready to go when the most severe calls for help ring out, and that hasn’t always been the case since COVID hit, with some of them waiting hours at Ottawa-based ER’s to offload patients. Originally supposed to start last November, this proposal has now been axed by Ontario’s Ministry of Health. Kristy Cameron gathers instant reaction from Kevin Skerrett, who is a member of the Ottawa Health Coalition. But first, we bring you up-to-date on the latest news headlines, starting with the aftermath of Monday’s violent storm. While Ottawa dodged a bullet, a section of Quebec wasn’t so lucky, as a tornado came out of nowhere and attacked the small town of Rigaud.