Layoffs expected as Leduc transitions from integrated Fire-EMS services

LEDUC -- Layoffs are expected as a result of the City of Leduc's transition away from integrated Fire-EMS services.

This comes after it was announced that the province would be cutting its funding for the integrated model once the current contract expires on Sept. 30, which would have shifted greater costs for the service to the municipality. After being informed of the changes by the province, the City of Leduc decided to transition away from the model following the expiration of the current contract. 

"We are facing some layoffs," said Chad Bugnet, President of the Leduc Firefighters' Association. "Council was put in a difficult position, as well as the fire management team and the union. We are all working together to try to reduce the total number of layoffs; we may see some in the form of some very highly skilled, passionate, casual paramedics, that we're going to attempt to transition to a paid on-call side, but we may have layoffs in that department. Those are not just layoffs, those are real people. This is a real career, they really like serving the community, so they will be negatively impacted potentially by this decision. Although we are working our best to try to mitigate those layoffs." 

The City of Leduc has said that the decision to move on from integrated Fire-EMS services will have workforce implications for Leduc Fire Services; however, they expect the impact to be significantly mitigated by the planned opening of Fire Hall 3. Elliott Davis, President of the Alberta Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association, is denouncing the province's decision to cut funding for the integrated model, saying they were not properly consulted prior to the decision.

"This whole process has been void of front-line consultation from our perspective. We know we have not been consulted. In fact, we tried to be consulted, and the government has not taken any meetings with us," said Davis. "The provincial government is choosing not to fund this. It's not that they can't afford this. They are choosing to lessen the degree of funding going into these contracted providers, who happen to provide services through the integrated model." 

Davis also takes issue with an influx of $800 million in funding coming into EHS through Budget 2026, while having little knowledge of where that money is going. The City of Leduc has utilized integrated Fire-EMS model for the past 17 years, which Davies says has given their members the ability to provide highly effective services for the community. He believes that shifting away from this model will have adverse impacts on the community.

"EHS is telling municipal councils and providers not to worry about the transition, that EHS will come in and backstop the provision of EMS in your community. Those of us on the inside know that they're just not capable of it," said Davis. "EHS is not the backstop. The backstop is municipal fire services. So, when EHS can't muster an ambulance, or when it's coming from, let's say, Lacombe, it's the municipal fire service that's going to attend and do medical first response. There there one's that are going to sit on scene with the patient, waiting for an ambulance to arrive from God knows where." 

Despite the City of Leduc voting to move away from integrated Fire-EMS services, Davis remains hopeful that something can be worked out to keep the current system in place following the expiration of the provincial contract on Sept. 30. Following that time, there will be a 12-month transition period, in which the province has said they hope the changes will come into effect by spring 2027.

Currently, seven municipalities in Alberta operate an integrated fire-EMS model where firefighters are also trained paramedics. These are Leduc, Red Deer, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Leduc, Spruce Grove, Lethbridge, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.