Several communities around west central Saskatchewan got some good news surrounding enhanced emergency care.

A provincial release back on Wednesday shared that thanks to an increase of $8.8 million annual funding in the 2023-24 provincial budget, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) improvements will be supported for 31 Saskatchewan communities.

Over $3.5 million of that money will go to supporting the addition of 33 full time equivalent (FTE) positions in 27 Saskatchewan communities according to the release. Local changes goes as follows:

  • Biggar - (Private Ambulance Service) - Increase in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources

  • Cut Knife - (Saskatchewan Health Authority ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff two current ambulance resources 8 hours a day /16 hours on call

  • Eston - (Saskatchewan Health Authority ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources 8 hours a day /16 hours on call

  • Kindersley - (Saskatchewan Health Authority ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources 8 hours a day /16 hours on call

  • North Battleford - (Private ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff three current ambulance resources 8 hours a day /16 hours on call

  • Outlook - (Private ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources

  • Wilkie - (Saskatchewan Health Authority ambulance service) - Increase in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources 8 hours a day /16 hours on call

"EMS providers in Saskatchewan communities are on the frontlines of patient care, and our government is committed to supporting this critical priority area with funding for additional paramedics, ambulances and other essential resources," Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said. "This year's investment is part of a multi-year commitment to stabilize emergency services and modernize the system to improve overall response times, patient care and patient flow through the system as well as addressing offload delays."

They are hoping to accomplish this by adding rural and remote ground ambulance staff, expanding community paramedicine, addressing wage parity issues, and providing more operational funding for contracted EMS operators and communication upgrades.

Find the full release including other key investments here.