Alberta invests $40 million to replace EMS vehicles
Posted March 10, 2025 7:06 pm.
The province is allocating more funding for Emergency Medical Services as part of Budget 2025. But the union representing paramedics and EMS workers in Alberta is criticizing the move, saying the new funding is not enough to release pressure on the system.
“This announcement was about changing letterhead, not changing lives,” said Mike Parker, the president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA).
Alberta’s health minister increased EMS funding by $56 million to ensure crews have the equipment they need. This is in addition to $40 million to replace vehicles and equipment that have reached the end of their service lines.
“Frontline paramedics need better vehicles. They need better equipment. But more than anything, they need backup. They need more on the frontlines, in those vehicles, using that equipment,” said Parker.
EMS currently falls under the jurisdiction of Alberta Health Services, but the province is in the process of dividing up the provincial health authority. As of April 1st AMS will be transitioning to Acute Care Alberta.
“By moving emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, I am confident it will receive the focused attention needed to deliver the care Albertans deserve,” said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.
But the president of the union representing EMS told CityNews in a video statement “no one calling 911 is worried about whether it’s AHS or Acute Care Alberta. They’re worried about how long it’s going to take to respond to their calls.”
“The government could not articulate how many more staff will be added to the system. They don’t know when these ambulances will be ordered, when they will arrive, or where they will be deployed,” said Parker.
A recent AHS memo to EMS staff, shared with CityNews, said the system is under pressure prompting a higher number of calls for help to rural communities.
The City of Leduc confirmed to CityNews that they have seen an increase in the volume of EMS calls to cover Edmonton.
The memo said AHS is deploying additional mass casualty stretchers in emergency rooms as a precautionary measure though they have never been used.
