Health Minister’s Remarks Spark Outrage Amid Regional Emergency Staffing Crisis

QUEEN’S PARK – MPP Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay–Superior North) has voiced sharp criticism against the Ford government for its perceived inaction in addressing the critical paramedic shortage affecting communities in Northwestern Ontario.

“Northern Ontario is grappling with a severe shortage of paramedics. While the City of Thunder Bay currently has a full complement, the surrounding region is short 21 paramedics,” stated Vaugeois during a heated exchange at Queen’s Park.

Minister Jones’ office states, “Minister Jones’ pointed out to MPP Vaugeois that 98% of paramedic positions in the Thunder Bay region are filled, and to continue to ensure Thunder Bay, and communities across the province, have a strong pipeline of paramedics for years to come, we have added 300 paramedic seats across the province, and those things should be celebrated.”

Paramedic Challenges: Low Pay, High Stress

Ontario loses 400 to 500 paramedics annually due to demanding work schedules, repeated exposure to trauma, and compensation that doesn’t reflect their responsibilities.

“Paramedics once carried six medications; now they are responsible for over 22 and will soon handle four restricted narcotics,” explained Vaugeois.

She highlighted that the Northern Ontario Municipal Association has recommended targeted funding for rural, remote, and northern paramedic services to help these regions offer competitive salaries, benefits, and upgraded equipment. However, these calls for action have been ignored, she said.

Health Minister’s Comments Draw Fire

Vaugeois expressed outrage at the Minister of Health’s recent remarks, which suggested the region should “celebrate” amid the staffing crisis.

“Celebrate what?” she questioned. “The fact that paramedics are overworked and underpaid? Or the glaring shortage of emergency services in our communities?”

Hansard Transcript of Exchange

Paramedic services

MPP Lise Vaugeois: To the Premier: Ontario loses 400 to 500 paramedics each year because the pay does not match the responsibilities or scope of practice of these health professionals. Graduates of a three-year nursing degree earn $64 a hour, while graduates of a three-year paramedics degree only earn $44 an hour. Paramedics used to carry six medications; now they are responsible for over 22 and will soon be carrying four restricted narcotics.

The demanding work schedule, exposure to trauma and low pay are the reasons paramedics leave the profession. What is the Ministry of Health doing to correct the pay gap for these health care professionals so that we can retain paramedics in Ontario?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Of course, I am thrilled to have the paramedic chiefs here today.

I think back to all of the work that paramedics have been doing for so many years in our communities, whether it is expansions of community paramedic services; whether it is 911 models of care—that, actually, the paramedic chiefs and the paramedics themselves brought forward and we adopted to ensure that we could deal with decreasing the emergency ED wait times. It is this incredible work that just speaks to the professionalism and the innovative, creative, outside-the-box thinking that our chiefs and our paramedics across Ontario do.

I also think of the investments that we’re making to ensure that we have sufficient paramedics being trained in the province of Ontario—a Learn and Stay program that actually increases the access to paramedics, particularly in northern Ontario, where we have seen a bigger need.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question?

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Northern Ontario has a critical shortage of paramedics. In the district of Thunder Bay, we are currently short 21 paramedics—

Hon. Sylvia Jones: You don’t listen. You’ve got to listen to the answers.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Thank you, I’ll sit down. Go ahead.

The reality is, perhaps the minister should—through you, Speaker, the minister needs to listen to reality. In the district of Thunder Bay alone, we are currently short 21 paramedics. Whatever they’re doing is not working.

The northern Ontario municipal association recommends that the province introduce targeted funding for rural, remote and northern paramedic services so that regions can offer competitive salaries and benefits, and upgrade equipment and bases in order to attract and retain paramedics. Will the government be accepting the recommendation of the northern Ontario municipal association to fully fund regional paramedic services?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will take their seats.

Before I call upon the minister to answer, I’ll ask her to come to order and then answer the question.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I’ll do my best.

What we have is we have 300 new paramedic seats available in the province of Ontario. Those are paramedic expansions that, under Premier Ford, we have been able to do since 2018.

In Thunder Bay—because I think, I hope you would be interested in what’s happening in your own community—98% of those seats are filled in the city of Thunder Bay.

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I do not understand why the member is not celebrating all of the excellent work that the paramedics and the chiefs and the leadership have been doing since 2018. They bring forward suggestions, ideas, proposals; we act on those, whether it is community paramedicine, whether it is 911 models of care. Those innovations are making a difference in each and every one of our communities, and the member opposite should be celebrating that.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock for one second. I think that’s the fourth or fifth time that I’m going to remind the members to make their comments through the Chair. If members continue to do that, I’m going to interrupt you in the middle of your question or the middle of your response and remind you in the middle of your question or response.

Start the clock. Next question.

A Call for Action

Vaugeois is demanding immediate action from the provincial government to address the crisis and implement measures to support paramedic retention and recruitment in Northwestern Ontario.