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By Caden Fanshaw

BC EHS

Northern BC ambulance restructuring good news for some, concerning for others

Aug 31, 2021 | 5:02 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – For many across Northern BC, more regularly scheduled paramedic shifts is good news.

The new staffing model will allow for more permanent regular part-time positions with on-call coverage to supplement in many rural communities, while others benefit from full coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For most rural communities, paramedics will benefit from more guaranteed work for eight hours a day, which will be a great help to recruitment and retention according to the union representing paramedics.

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The Village of McBride is a different story.

Contrary to almost every municipality in BC, McBride has more than enough paramedics to get the job done, a town of 500 people boasts 13 on-call paramedics according to Mayor Gene Runtz.

“What is changing with these other on-call paramedics, which is the majority of them, is their on-call time now changes,” says Runtz. “Instead of getting paid four hours of their wage every shift guaranteed, now they will get paid two dollars an hour.”

Runtz says if this new staffing model goes poorly in his community, many paramedics in McBride could be completely wiped out, left only to find other employment.

The Ambulance Paramedics of BC and Emergency Dispatchers of BC, CUPE Local 873 Provincial President Troy Clifford says the concerns are legitimate.

Clifford says following the implementation of the staffing model, there will be time to re-evaluate, and that will be the time to see if the needs of the community are being met.