The Toronto fire department was on the defensive Tuesday over a local media report that said department response times are two minutes slower than the North American standard.

The Toronto Star reported that it had obtained a 2009 consultant's report that said the department takes eight minutes or more between when a 911 call comes in and when firefighters arrive — the North American standard is six minutes or less.

Fire Chief William Stewart admitted the response times are slower than the standard but said he's not sure the department can respond any faster.

"It's our goal to achieve that standard some time in the future," he said Tuesday.

The Star reported that the documents reveal the fire department is slower than the standard at every stage of an emergency call: the hand-off from Toronto Police Services to the fire department; the notification of the appropriate fire hall; getting dressed and out of the station; and driving to the scene.

Union says consultant's report isn't accurate

The head of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association said the numbers in the report aren't accurate, and that the problem may be a delay in the log times.

"Within the next year or so we're going to have better statistics to follow," president Ed Kennedy said.

Firefighter Rick Burns told CBC News that numerous factors had to be considered.

"You got to look at weather, you got to look at traffic, the city's growing, the road's are a horror show, it's getting out of the stations. I don't know how we can get out of the stations any quicker," he said.

Carol Meaghar, a supervisor at a fire dispatch centre at Dufferin Street and Overbrook Place, said they are doing "better than the best we can" and that she did not like being told response times aren't fast enough.

"It makes the communications centre staff feel like they're to blame for all the stats that are being waved around," she said. "And we're not."