Yesterday, the Nova Scotia Government announced a new contract to lease 146 new ambulances. This is welcome news, however, this does not mean there will be 146 more ambulances in service for Nova Scotians. Certainly there will be added units, but most will be replacing older units.
Of course, our paramedics appreciate that the government is taking these steps to upgrade our fleet with new technology and safer vehicles.
This will certainly help relieve some of the pressure our overwhelmed EHS system faces. However, we still face critical staffing challenges. Retention of our overworked paramedics has to be a priority, and we continue to have discussions aimed at solutions that will benefit our paramedics and all Nova Scotians.
We know this isn’t only happening in Nova Scotia. All of Canada has a shortage of paramedics, meaning our extremely hard working and well trained experienced paramedics are being lured away.
We will continue to offer ideas aimed at retaining our paramedics by supporting them with better working conditions, better pay and better benefits. Your support as the public we serve is greatly appreciated as we navigate this difficult time in Nova Scotia.