Red Deer files complaint with ombudsman regarding ambulance dispatch consolidation
Red Deer’s city council voted unanimously to file an official complaint with Alberta Ombudsman against the province’s decision to consolidate regional ambulance dispatch.
The ombudsman is an impartial officer of the legislative assembly that can investigate any decision made by the provincial government or departments, agencies, boards, and commissions.
The city said in a statement that since ambulance dispatch consolidation in January this year, regions have experienced significant issues and increased risks to patients’ care.
“Our communities have tried every avenue to communicate with our government that this system is flawed and to strongly dispute the effectiveness of it, but our calls for a third party review remain unanswered,” said Tara Veer, Red Deer mayor, in a statement.
“With a municipal election looming, we want to reassure all Albertans, and Alberta Health Services, that we will not be giving up the fight for what we know is in the best interest of patient safety,” Veer added. “We hope that filing this official complaint with the Alberta Ombudsman reiterates that we will exhaust every avenue possible to revisit the government’s decision.”
According to the city, removing local and integrated EMS dispatch has impacted the health and safety of Albertans in Red Deer and Lethbridge, Calgary, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Red Deer is asking any Albertan who has negatively been impacted by ambulance consolidation or experienced delays to share their stories.
“We ask citizens and all municipalities in Alberta to join us in our fight to restore regional ambulance dispatch by writing into your local MLA, the Minister of Health and the premier with your concerns on how this consolidation has affected dispatch and ambulance response times,” Veer said.
In October last year, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said consolidating ambulance dispatch represents a best practice around the world and that the move would save the province $9 million a year that could be invested in improving service.
With files from CTV News Calgary’s Bill Macfarlane and Ryan White
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.