On March 10, 2025, the Health Minister announced the transfer of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to Acute Care Alberta (ACA). They also announced the addition of 40 million infrastructure dollars towards the purchase of ambulances and other equipment such as power lift stretchers and cardiac monitors.
I agree that positioning of AHS EMS to the newly formed ACA is a positive move and when done correctly will be seen as an important step towards improving our failing health system.
The issue that deserves attention however is the allocation of 40 million new dollars over the next three years to the former AHS EMS under the new ACA.
“This funding DOES NOT INCLUDE any allocation at this point, that I am aware of, to any of the other contracted operators across Alberta which means that the paramedics from those contracted services (mostly rural and smaller cities) have been forgotten yet again.”
The guest speakers at the announcement with the Minister informed us that contacted services obtain funding for ambulances and equipment through other means. Is the message that it’s equal but through another means? This seems doubtful. It was also identified that if this funding is approved in the budget, that Alberta (the soon to be former AHS EMS) will have purchase power over other provinces that are competing for ambulance chassis in a competitive environment. Unfortunately, it may also mean that they will have a competitive edge over our province’s contracted ambulance operators that are also facing ambulance fleet replacement.
The Alberta Paramedics Association (Association) values all paramedics across the province. If the money is to be invested in the important work that paramedics provide Albertans as part of the health care system, then the funding should be shared amongst all providers in some way which could be administrated fairly by the newly formed ACA. When you speak to the paramedics in your community, you may find that they provide a fair bit of time providing additional coverage to the current AHS EMS system provider regardless of what the statistics may say. And they do that with resources from your community. Those same resources that were not included in the announcement today.
Leading a complex system is difficult, let alone building one that is in desperate need of repair. If and when the budget is passed, and there is additional funding dollars allocated to support paramedics through new ambulances and equipment, consider that it is reasonable that those dollars should be shared in an equitable way that benefits all paramedics that are providing life saving skills for Albertans.
Len Stelmaschuk,
Advanced Care Paramedic, President
Alberta Paramedic Association