Hi fellow Canadians..!!!

[Dustdevil]

The wage in Toronto for a Primary Care Paramedic is around $30 an hour, but work is difficult to find.

And the taxes and cost of living may be significantly higher than you are used to also, negating much of that salary. Depends on where in the US you are from. If you're from NY, NJ, or CA, it won't be much difference. If you're from the South or West, your jaw will drop.

In some provinces and systems the wages are significantly better than the US average. But in most provinces, they are not. Four provinces (BC, NB, NS, PEI) have one provincial-wide EMS provider, and fierce competition for those positions. There are no other EMS providers in the entire province to work for, so if you don't get hired by them, you're unemployed, like in the UK. Ontario has all government-run EMS systems, covering either individual cities, or larger regions. AB is more like the US, utilising a combination of government and non-governmental (including private) EMS providers. Not sure about MB or SK. Don't care about QC.

Every province is different in their entry level requirements. But in almost every province, you are going to have to start over at the bottom and go back to school for at least one, if not two (Ontario) years. And that is just to function at the EMT level. To be a medic, you're looking at a minimum of two, and mostly three years of education in each province. You'll have to find a way to support yourself during that time. The non-emergency transfer ambulances in ON are unregulated, and require no training or certification to work for them, although a lot of unemployed medics and medic students do work for them as a way to make a living. But the money is very, very low. You'd make more money working nights at Tim Horton's.

Good luck!

[iMac]

Keep in mind that in a few months all service will be working provincially. No longer will any be privately owned.

[Dustdevil]

Keep in mind that in a few months all service will be working provincially. No longer will any be privately owned.

:shock:

OMFG! Got a link to a story, discussion, or government statement on this matter?

[mobey]

Keep in mind that in a few months all service will be working provincially. No longer will any be privately owned.

Hey iMac, are you talking about Alberta?

If so, that is not entirely true.

Although ambulance services will be ran by a provincial "superboard" there is a contract back clause that allows private services (such as my own) to remain the employer.

[mobey]

:shock:

OMFG! Got a link to a story, discussion, or government statement on this matter?

Dust... check out the first post in this thread, if you want more info I can get it for you.

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12205

[Dustdevil]

Okay, someone somewhere is seriously misinterpreting things. I admit that this "someone" might be me, but here's what I read:

The new provincial health authority will have the flexibility to either provide services directly, or they may establish agreements with third party providers, but the ultimate responsibility lies within the health care system.

To me, that did not mean anything about a provincial EMS provider, a la BC. It just means that government and regulation of the provision of EMS will be under the health authority. That is a step forward. A provincial EMS provider would be a huge step into a black hole of wasteful mediocrity, as it always is.

So, is there some new information that says this means a provincial EMS provider?

[MedicNorth]

At this point there are only a few EMS services run the by the local health authorities. It will take a major switch in policy and focus for the entire system to be taken over by the "superboard". I'm not sure it is even possible. This being Alberta, however, almost anything is possible!

Is that going to include air EMS like STARS? I'm not sure how well they would take becoming like the rest of the peons as civil servants either.....

[mobey]

Alberta's new health superboard will assume responsibility for the province's roughly 500 ambulances, 3,000 emergency workers and 80 service providers starting in April 2009, the government announced Thursday.

The Alberta Health Services Board, which was announced on May 15 to replace the province's nine regional health authorities, will take over ambulance services from the municipalities effective April 1, 2009, a government release said.

Health Minister Ron Liepert said ambulance services "rightfully belong in the health-care system."

"Ambulance service is health care and as such should be part of the health system. This just makes sense," Liepert said in the release.

Liepert said the move follows extensive studies and reviews, and is part of the Progressive Conservatives' plan to reshape the province's health-care system.

Liepert promised to "increase funding and provide leadership to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible."

The government estimates the transition of the ambulance services will cost approximately $29 million. After the responsibility is transferred, operating costs are expected to top $220 million a year.

The board will have the option of providing the services directly or setting up agreements with third-party providers, the government said.

Liepert said he had spoken with Calgary Mayor David Bronconnier and Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and both were "ecstactic" with the announcement.

The move also means that EMS personnel, as part of the health system, will become an essential service and will lose their right to strike.

______________________________

The announcement that Alberta Health will take over responsibility for the province's ambulance service is being cautiously welcomed by most of the province's emergency medical service providers.

"On the surface, just the fact that there was an announcement, and that there is a direction of governance and funding, allows ambulance services, municipalities and ambulance providers to continue with strategic planning … long-term planning, short-term planning, capital planning," Rob Hargreaves, chairman of the Alberta Ambulance Association, told CBC News.

"We are no longer in limbo as to who is going to be responsible for governance and funding."

Health Minister Ron Liepert announced Thursday that, effective April 1, 2009, all ambulance and EMS services will be delivered, and paid for, by the new health superboard. The system currently comprises 500 ambulances, 3,000 workers and 80 service providers.

Hargreaves said he welcomed the flexibility of the announcement, as the Alberta Health Services board, which replaced the province's nine regional health authorities, has the option of providing the services directly or setting up agreements with third-party providers.

"The one strength that we were pleased with and [is] recognized in the document is that there is strength in diversity of delivery models, and they've maintained the ability to have all the different types of delivery models that are currently available," he said.

Calgary paramedics worried about cuts

But Rick Fraser, the president of CUPE Local 3421, which represents more than 400 Calgary paramedics, said he is worried the city could see a cutback in services once the province takes control.

"There are many people who look at the health system now and feel it's failing and [with us] being swallowed by that, our concern is that there may be cuts to the service," he said.

"Every paramedic in the city is dedicated to delivering the best care possible and of course time matters in an emergency so we're definitely concerned about that."

Fraser also said his members are hoping that they may receive a salary boost once the transition is complete. Under the new plan, EMS personnel, as part of the health system, will become an essential service and will lose their right to strike.

Liepert said the move follows extensive studies and reviews, and is part of the Progressive Conservatives' plan to reshape the province's health-care system.

The Liberal Opposition said the announcement, which came a day before the new health superboard was expected to meet for the first time, created confusion because it lacked implementation details.

The government plans to study various models in order to create an easy transition, aided by a one-time funding boost of $29 million.

However, the Liberals did say that they support the decision to move ambulance services into the health department.

The government estimates that once the transition is complete, it will cost roughly $220 million a year to operate the service. Under the new model, patients will still be responsible for paying ambulance fees.

[Dustdevil]

My two favourite quotes from the articles:

The move also means that EMS personnel, as part of the health system, will become an essential service and will lose their right to strike.

I LOVE IT!

"The one strength that we were pleased with and [is] recognized in the document is that there is strength in diversity of delivery models, and they've maintained the ability to have all the different types of delivery models that are currently available," he said.

I like what I am reading, and indeed, it does sound like a significant step into the right direction. But, of course, there is this one quote that, regardless of the dubious credibility of it's author, does raise reasonable concern:

But Rick Fraser, the president of CUPE Local 3421, which represents more than 400 Calgary paramedics, said he is worried the city could see a cutback in services once the province takes control.

"There are many people who look at the health system now and feel it's failing and [with us] being swallowed by that, our concern is that there may be cuts to the service," he said.

This is very true. Bureaucracy breeds inefficiency, which breeds wastefulness, which eventually breeds budget shortfalls and the consequent cutbacks. Although now considered "health professionals", medics will still remain the red headed step child, and at the bottom of the proverbial scrotum pole. Guess where cutbacks are likely to hit first.