Paramedics in rural Manitoba are quitting due to chronic understaffing that their union blames on changes to health care.

Bob Moroz, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, says new data shows too many ambulances are sitting idle due to a lack of personnel. The union, representing more than 800 rural paramedics, received a copy of the October 2021 Medical Transportation Coordination Centre Ground Report that pointed to the 17,000 hours of no ambulance coverage in rural Manitoba. This marks a five-year high with no signs of slowing down due to the increased need for ambulances in the province.

Shared Health admits the system does not have enough employees and throughout the Prairie Mountain Health Region, there have been days that see up to 40 percent shortages of staff compared to what is needed to cover.

shared Health says efforts are underway to recruit paramedics to reduce reliance on overtime or on-call staffing.