Quebec announces $36M to improve pre-hospital services

The Legault government is releasing $35.8 million to improve access to pre-hospital emergency services, notably by increasing ambulance coverage.

Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement Thursday, stating that the government’s objective is to offer “the best possible pre-hospital coverage to Quebecers in all regions.”

Quebec will therefore add, starting this year, 35,000 hours of ambulance coverage service “according to regional realities and observed needs.”

Part of the money will also be used to convert shift schedules, during which paramedics must remain available 24 hours a day to respond to emergency calls, to hourly schedules.

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Furthermore, Quebec is tripling funding for the first responder program, increasing it from $11 million to $32.7 million for all regions.

This announcement comes two weeks after the tabling of a report by interim Auditor General Alain Fortin, which highlighted that half of Quebecers live in a municipality without first responder services.

In these areas, 45 per cent of “very urgent” calls are answered in more than 10 minutes. In rural areas, this proportion rises to 59%, noted Mr. Fortin.

In his report, the interim auditor general reiterated the importance for a municipality to have a first responder service, since, in 73% of cases, they arrive before the paramedics to provide basic care.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services hopes to increase population coverage from 50 to 80 percent by 2028. It notes that some fifty municipalities have expressed interest in establishing a new first responder service.

“This major announcement, which will ultimately triple investment in first responder services, demonstrates that we continue to invest massively to improve pre-hospital emergency services across Quebec,” Minister Dubé said in a press release.

As announced earlier this year, the government is also maintaining its commitment to install 450 new defibrillators over the next year.