Saskatchewan people expect essential health services like ambulances to be available when they need them the most. That from Official Opposition Health Critic Vicki Mowat, who was joined by the Mayor of the Village of Glenavon to call for the government to commit to providing funding to fill ambulance vacancies. She says these vacancies result in service disruptions.

Since the end of January, Kipling and area have been short a paramedic for their ambulance services due to a maternity leave, which Mowat says, has left the region with limited service with no ambulances available for two-thirds of the month.

Mayor Bill Sluser says the Saskatchewan Health Authority told him the position is vacant because the Health Ministry won’t fund a permanent full-time position. He doesn’t believe it makes sense to pinch pennies on paramedics when people’s lives are at stake.