Victoria follows through on plan for paramedics in Kamloops and Chase

Sep 18, 2018 | 11:23 AM

KAMLOOPS — The minority NDP government is following through on a promise made by the former BC Liberal government when it comes to hiring paramedics in Kamloops and Chase.

Today, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the province will hire 18 fulltime paramedics in Kamloops and another three fulltime positions in Chase. He said the hires are expected to be in place by January 2019.  Kamloops will also receive two new ambulances. 

Dix said the hires in Chase will allow the government to regularly staff the ambulance hall there seven days a week.

“These are significant increases that are in response to growing numbers of calls in the region,” he said during a province-wide teleconference. “Because the whole region is growing, this allows better staffing, more fulltime staffing, more stability of work and I believe better response times for people in the community.”

Dix added the announcement is part of his government’s commitment to health care in Kamloops. He said the opening of Kamloops’ Urgent Primary Care Centre at Royal Inland Hospital is another example.

The healthcare investment is part of a $91.4 million investment announced by former Liberal health minister Terry Lake in March 2017, though Dix said his government has added 69 community paramedic positions in smaller communities in B.C. — particularly in the Interior.