The City of Toronto is taking steps to improve emergency services response times which have suffered during the 33-day strike.

The City filed an application on Friday to the Ontario Labour Relations Board to expand the emergency services agreement, and increase the number of EMS workers to pre-strike levels.

In a press conference, EMS chief Bruce Farr said the action will provide Toronto residents with additional ambulances needed to keep response times for the most critical calls at pre-strike levels.

If granted, it would mean an increase of 22 ambulances during the weekday and 27 more ambulances on the weekend. It would also mean an increase of paramedics from 225 to 300 on a 24 hour period.

Farr says the action is not related to the death of 50-year-old Jim Hearst on June 25, which the Ministry of Health is reviewing.

Farr says they have been analyzing 26,000 calls made since the start of the strike. There has been an increase of 53 seconds in response times.

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