Expansion of college programs will increase paramedic workforce, ensuring faster access to emergency care
BARRIE — As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care and its plan to hire more health care workers, the Ontario government is helping more students who want to become a paramedic in Ontario by adding more than 300 spaces in paramedic programs at provincial colleges across Ontario this year.
“There is a significant demand for paramedics in communities across the province, and our government is making it as easy as possible for those who want to train and work in this important profession,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “In partnership with the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs, we are strengthening Ontario’s paramedic workforce for years to come.”
More student spaces in primary care paramedic programs at colleges across Ontario will make it easier for future paramedics to access education and training closer to home. Expanding the pipeline of talent for the future will also help bolster the paramedic workforce and make sure emergency services are available to respond to emergencies when and where Ontarians need them.
“By expanding enrolment for paramedic programs in Ontario, our government is helping more students gain access to world class postsecondary training closer to home,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “These new spots will play a critical role in addressing the current shortage of paramedics by preparing more highly-skilled health care professionals to enter the workforce and provide the excellent care Ontarians deserve.”
The province is making it easier for people and their families to connect to the care they need, when they need it, closer to home by helping those who want to train and work in Ontario and hiring more health care workers to help communities build up their own health workforces.