B.C.'s ambulance paramedics have a new deal with the province

An ambulance is shown in this undated file photo.

B.C.'s ambulance paramedics have ratified a new collective agreement with the province, but the union's president says the fight to improve service for patients continues.

A tentative agreement between the Health Employers Association of B.C. and the 4,600 members of the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of B.C. was reached over a month ago with the assistance of a mediator. On Tuesday, the union announced that members voted 96.1 per cent in favour of accepting it.

The terms of the deal have not been released, but union president Troy Clifford describes the agreement as fair and says it addresses key issues of wages, benefits and staffing models.

"The fact that we needed to invest in paramedic services, prehospital care, and public safety was obvious. We’re glad that we could sit at the table together and put our members and patients first," he said in a media release.

However, he also said improving response times, and recruiting and retaining staff so that ambulances are not sitting empty will require more work.

"We want a fully functioning ambulance service in every community of this province, where every citizen, no matter where they live, gets assistance in a timely manner. We are committed to that, no matter what, and this agreement will lay a good foundation for us to build on,” Clifford's statement continues.

The union has been sounding the alarm about an ongoing staffing crisis for years, saying repeatedly that the overlapping crises of COVID-19 and toxic drug deaths – combined with mass casualty events like the province's deadly heat dome – have stretched the service and its workers to their breaking points.

Advocating for better mental health care for members is something Clifford says will also continue.