Emergency service calls up 25 per cent in Muskoka
Emergency responders in Muskoka expect a busier summer than usual.
Paramedics anticipate a 25 per cent increase in calls after a noticeable spike over the last few months.
"We haven't seen the ebbs and flows," said Muskoka Paramedic Deputy Chief Stuart McKinnon. "it's been steady and higher than normal."
According to McKinnon, the summer is typically busy for emergency responders because of increased tourism.
But a growing population has paramedics concerned there will be more calls for service.
"It's no secret that a lot of people with the flexibility to work from home have chosen to come up to their seasonal property, or they've just chosen to move to areas like Muskoka," McKinnon added.
Paramedics average around 50 calls daily and reach 100 at their peak. McKinnon said they've hired additional staff to handle the increased demand.
"In the summer, we put on an additional day vehicle and night vehicle, so that takes an extra 8 full-time positions to staff."
Provincial police in cottage country are also feeling that impact.
"We welcome the increase in tourism, obviously," said Constable Adrian Woods, Bracebridge OPP. "But it does mean a significant increase in the population that comes through and with that we see a dramatic increase in calls."
Recreational activities play a significant part in the increased calls, with boating accidents being one of the biggest causes.
"We often see liquor being consumed on our vessels and it's a very dangerous practice. The last thing you want to see is a tragedy on our waterways," Woods added. "Safety is the number one priority. We far too often see situations where people are hurt or killed, and we like to do everything we can to prevent that."
Police encourage boaters to read the Transport Canada safe boating guide as an extra precaution before heading out on the water.
The OPP's marine program will run until the fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."