$40 million to be allocated by the province to EMS vehicles

Alberta is assigning additional cash for Emergency Medical Services as part of Budget 2025.

The provincial health minister is supplementing EMS funding by $56 million dollars to make sure crews have the equipment they need. $40 million dollars has already been promised to replace vehicles and equipment that have reached the end of their service lines.

EMS currently falls under the jurisdiction of Alberta Health Services, but the province is in the process of dividing up the provincial health authority. As of April 1st AMS will be transitioning to Acute Care Alberta.

“By moving emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, I am confident it will receive the focused attention needed to deliver the care Albertans deserve,” said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.

A recent AHS memo to EMS staff says the system is under pressure prompting a higher number of calls for help to rural communities. The memo said AHS is deploying additional mass casualty stretchers in emergency rooms as a precautionary measure though they have never been used.