The Paramedic Services Chiefs of Saskatchewan (PSCS) is sounding the siren over the province’s latest budget for emergency first responders.
“We’re disappointed,” Jennifer Larre, president of PSCS, told CTV News.
“We’re a very small part of the budget, but a huge part of health care. We’re that first call in any emergency.”
According to the budget, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is getting a $6.6 million increase to fund approximately 170 full-time paramedic positions in 58 rural communities, since 2022.
PSCS said the funding “offers only a fraction of what is needed” to support EMS.
Larre said paramedics are struggling with aging equipment and a staffing shortage.
There are 106 ambulance services in Saskatchewan.
Every day, about 10-20 ambulances are out of service because there aren’t enough staff to fill them, according to PSCS.
This revelation comes as paramedics are responding to more overdoses and spending more time with patients while waiting for an available hospital bed.
“Our wages are 12 per cent lower than fire [fighters],” Larre said.
“That’s another point that we’ve talked to the ministry about to say, ‘Get us on the same scale.’ ”
PSCS met with the provincial government in December, but the chiefs don’t feel their voices were heard.
When asked to respond to paramedics' concerns about funding, Saskatchewan’s minister of finance reiterated the increase to the health budget.
“The health care budget’s up 6.4 per cent, overall. In most areas, there’s increases, there’s increases for paramedic funding as well,” Jim Reiter said.
