Growing ambulance wait times in southeast Sask. worry local officials
A southeast Saskatchewan mayor is concerned about reduced ambulance services and increased wait times in the area.
Ambulances won’t be leaving the Kipling hospital often this month. Bill Sluser, the mayor of nearby Glenavon, said they have enough staff to only cover four 12-hour shifts, something that has been “going on for years.”
Communities that rely on the government-operated ambulance service have been trying to get through to Rural Health Minister Everett Hindley. Sluser said he must have called the legislative building 30 times, and only got through to the minister once.
“He said he’d get back to me in two days and to this day I haven’t heard from him or anybody from his office,” said Sluser.
The minister wasn’t available Friday to explain why he’s not available. The health ministry issued a statement that said the ministry “does not currently track ambulance service disruptions.”
“This situation in Kipling going unaddressed is completely unacceptable because we know it is impacting the whole area,” said NDP health critic Vicki Mowat.
Low pay for rural paramedics is being blamed. It’s $5an hour to be on stand-by, with extra pay only if a call comes in. The government said ambulances from other regions respond as required.
Sluser said there have been some situations where they made it “by the skin of (their) teeth.”
Nineteen rural communities with similar ambulance problems are currently banding together hoping to get their messages through to the government.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.