Mayors ask government to reverse EMS dispatch consolidation, allowing them to pay for service

A few Alberta communities are offering to shell out some cash so they can keep their EMS dispatch local.

The move has come three months after the provincial government announced a plan to consolidate ambulance dispatch services across the province.

Mayors from Red Deer, Wood Buffalo and Lethbridge wrote in a release that they will pay for their communities' emergency ambulance dispatch services.

Right now, municipalities receive annual funds from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to operate the local dispatches.

Red Deer Mayor Tara Veer said in the release that the provincial government's decision would degrade emergency patient care for those in Red Deer, as well as central Alberta.

"We know there are people alive today in Red Deer because FireMedics responded before an ambulance in a life-and-death emergency medical call," wrote Veer.

"The provincial government's decision to remove this local service is driven by supposed cost savings, so we are prepared to pay for the service in the interest of public safety."

The plan to consolidate services is expect to take effect Jan. 12, 2021. 

However, many municipalities have called on the government to reverse this decision, including Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

On Tuesday, Nenshi told reporters he would not join the other cities in offering to pay for the service.

"We have heard over and over again from the provincial government that this is not a question of money, it's a question of safety. So why in the world would it make sense to make it a question of money from the perspective of Calgary?" 

Nenshi noted the three municipalities offering to pay have integrated services so it costs them less than it would for Calgary.

Letter sent to premier

In a letter sent Dec.1 to Premier Jason Kenney, mayors of the three cities requested his support in allowing them to pay for the dispatch through municipal funds.

"We have expressed to the premier our offer to pay for this service — stopping at nothing to keep EMS dispatch within the region," wrote Wood Buffalo Mayor Don Scott in the release.

"Enabling us to pay for this service at $660,000 annually will mitigate the threat that consolidation poses to our residents, oilsands operators, First Nations and Métis communities."

The mayors of Red Deer and Lethbridge say their cities are offering to pay for their share of $1.2 million annually for the service.

"The loss of EMS dispatch in Lethbridge would come at a much higher cost to our community. We would need to invest millions to alter our system in order to maintain the current level of service, losing much of the efficiencies we have today," wrote Mayor Chris Spearman.

The premier has yet to respond to the letter or offers to pay.