Starting today, Niagara residents will hear directly from frontline paramedics warning that staffing shortages, burnout and retention problems are putting increasing pressure on emergency medical services across the region.
After months of negotiations, repeated requests to address Regional Council, and growing evidence of workforce strain, CUPE 911 is launching a radio advertising campaign across Niagara. The ads speak to the realities facing paramedics in Niagara Region, including rising rates of trauma and burnout, insufficient mental health supports, and a service struggling to recruit and retain experienced paramedics while demand for emergency care continues to grow.
While Niagara paramedics responded to a record 100,000 emergency calls last year, their mental health crisis is reaching a tipping point. A recent CUPE 911 survey found that 73% of members say working as a paramedic in Niagara has negatively impacted their mental health, while 57% are actively considering leaving the service.
The ads can be heard here:
“We’ve made our case at the bargaining table, we’ve done public polling that shows overwhelming support for paramedics, and now we’re telling our stories directly to the public in the hope that something will finally get through to decision makers,” said Dave Barnett, president of CUPE 911 and a paramedic with 16 years of experience. “Paramedics are stoic by nature. We see people on the worst days of their lives, and we don’t often talk about the impact that has on us. But nothing has moved our employer or Niagara Regional Council, so we’re putting ourselves out there.”
Beyond the radio campaign, CUPE 911 has billboards across Niagara and will be launching a series of interviews with frontline paramedics in the coming days.
“We’re trending in the wrong direction on every metric,” said Barnett. “Call volumes continue to rise, far outstripping staffing growth. The mental health of our members continues to deteriorate. Regional Council needs to act before this crisis gets any worse.”
CUPE 911, which represents 470 paramedics and dispatchers, and Niagara Emergency Medical Services return to the bargaining table tomorrow and Wednesday. The union says its radio campaign, billboard campaign and other public outreach efforts will continue until meaningful action is taken to improve recruitment, retention, mental health supports and staffing levels within Niagara EMS.
