City asking for provincial EMS contract talks to continue

Understanding the critical importance of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the community, City Council is seeking more time and information related to contract options with Emergency Health Services – Alberta (EHS). Today, Council voted unanimously to advocate to the Alberta Government, asking that they work with municipalities, as partners, on EMS delivery.

On March 13, EHS notified the City that, to enter negotiations for a new EMS contract, the municipality would have to agree in advance to fund anything above the EHS benchmark cost. The City was originally given until just March 31, 2026 to make this decision. Earlier today, EHS provided notification that the deadline has been extended to May 31, 2026.

Council agreed to send a joint advocacy letter, with six other municipalities in Alberta providing integrated fire and emergency services. The letter to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services will request a meeting between the Mayors and the Minister to further discuss EMS contracts.

“This development is something that has come up very quickly and could have a significant impact on our community,” says Mayor Blaine Hyggen. “We know EMS is extremely important to the health and safety of our residents. That’s why it is vital that we be given time to discuss with our provincial partners as well as complete detailed financial and operation analysis to help us evaluate the best way forward.”

Lethbridge City Council has supported providing a higher standard of service to the community through an integrated Fire and Emergency Services model. This involves both a strong EHS partnership as well as additional municipal funding. What is currently being offered by EHS would provide the City with less funding than the current EMS contract, which ends September 30, 2026.

For more than 100 years, the City has recognized the integrated Fire and EMS system as an effective way to provide best-in-class care. Since 2009, when EMS moved under provincial jurisdiction, this has been achieved through a contract with EHS (formerly Alberta Health Services).

In Lethbridge, staff are trained as both paramedics and firefighters, sharing resources, training and co-locating at fire stations. The City has recently introduced an EMS division that would allow some staff to be trained solely as paramedics, giving more flexibility to the system and creating potential cost efficiencies in the future. This new model is in its early days of implementation.

“We know emergency services are highly valued by our residents, and we want to continue to providing that care for our community, without burdening our taxpayers with additional costs,” says Mayor Hyggen. “We appreciate the dedicated men and women working within Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services team who continue to protect the health and wellbeing of our community every day.”

EHS indicated that if the City did not agree in advance to fund all additional costs greater than those stipulated by EHS for providing EMS, a procurement process will begin to secure a service provider. Similar communications have gone to other Alberta municipalities that are contracted to provide EMS.  More details of that procurement are currently unknown.

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