More funding for EMS staffing in two southwestern Saskatchewan communities has been approved.

Shaunavon and Eston were among 27 centres named in the 2023-24 provincial budget for an uptick in staffing under the EMS stabilization funding. 

Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said the additional spending through the EMS stabilization fund is aimed at assisting rural and remote ground ambulance staff.

"That was something I heard about when I was there meeting with the community leadership, with the mayor and council, and town representatives from the town of Shaunavon," he said. "I heard it in Eston as well."  

The increase in funding for Shaunavon will allow them to add 1.67 full-time equivalents (FTE) positions to their Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) ambulance service. In Eston, they will see a jump of .44 FTE spots added to their SHA ambulance service.

"In some cases what this will allow them to do is, add more staff or hire more staff," he said. "Sometimes it's also a bit of a retention or recruitment issue because we have ambulance providers that might not be able to fully staff for a fully salaried position there and it becomes a recruitment or retention issue."

Feedback from officials across the province played a role in which communities were selected for more staffing but so did SHA data. Hindley said they examined their existing SHA contracts, ambulances, and private providers to help minimize staffing shortages or concerns to fully staff their ambulances. 

"Not everybody that goes into training for this ends up being a paramedic with a ground ambulance service provider," he said. "Some go to fire departments, some end up going to the private sector." 

The extra funding will support the addition of 33 FTE positions across the province.