
🎉 We’re Back! 🎉
After the holiday break, we’re kicking things off by saying THANK YOU! In just over a month, we’ve gained 1,000+ new followers. Your support since the ACoP complaint has been incredible. Watching our growth has been amazing and humbling, and we’re beyond grateful.
If you’re able, consider tossing a few bucks our way via GiveSendGo. Every dollar helps us keep the heat on—and annoys the managers who hate that you support us. Of course, no pressure to donate; your likes, shares, and laughs mean the world too!
A most important theme keeps coming up in our conversations with many of the thousands of paramedics across the province: the pay. It’s a problem. Factor in tax increases and inflation, it’s an even bigger problem.
You've no doubt seen this:

This is outrageous —especially with contract negotiations not going well.
If the Nurses’ talks are any indication, there’s a major disconnect between the front lines and the bargaining table. To make matters worse, Paramedics’ frustrations are amplified by what’s happening elsewhere in the country. In BC, Paramedic wages are much higher.


The wage difference between Alberta and BC has exacerbated another problem here at home, it's our unhealthy dependence on overtime.
Many Paramedics are using overtime to survive, to maintain their standard of living. Everything is more expensive and it's a trap, with AHS EMS leaning on the overtime crutch to compensate for their abject Leadership Failure.
We’ve never been shy about what we think the root cause of our Broken System, EMS Crisis in Alberta. It's the toxic, ineffective, vindictive leadership that's been steering this profession straight into the ground since 2008. Over the years, they’ve created an environment so unappealing that people are fleeing full-time positions faster than Triage can say, “Go to the Hallway”. Many Paramedics are leaving entirely for greener (and less soul-crushing) pastures, while others are taking WCB leaves, LOAs for mental health, or stepping back to casual roles to regain some semblance of control over their lives.
Imagine this: a full-time job with a pension is apparently no longer worth it. According to an article by EMS1 (EMS1 Staff, 2020) EMS careers with AHS last an average of 5 to 8 years. That's all, just five to eight years. It takes that long just to become Salty. What was once a proud, noble career has been downgraded to a résumé filler—a stepping stone to anything but this.
The result? The provincial EMS schedule looks like Swiss cheese. Management, in their infinite wisdom, has decided the best way to patch the holes is… drumroll, please… “Who wants overtime?!”

This absurd reliance on overtime is 'exhibit A' in the indictment of AHS EMS leadership. They’ve managed to create a system so unsustainable it’s inconceivable that it won't collapse under its own weight. Instead of addressing the root cause of their staffing nightmare, they keep doubling down on this disastrous strategy. The only thing more overworked than Paramedics is the excuses Media gets from AHS Communcations. Consider the way they present overtime as an asset rather than a something inefficient and contributes to staff burn out.

Some may argue of course they'd do that, why wouldn't they speak about overtime reverently? But since we just used the BC example for wages why not do the same here and consider how BCEHS views overtime "“Overtime is not an efficient way to meet our staffing needs, nor is it good for staff wellness over the long term,” the agency added."
What’s worse? This toxic leadership culture has been festering for years, since early 2000 when Dispatch was transferred from direct EMS control to the City of Calgary, Shortly afterwards CUPE3421 was disbanded by the Courts and Paramedics were forced into HSAA. The current state of EMS was predictable and nothing worthwhile has been done to fix it. Data we've received in our many FOIP requests backs us up: in January 2020, a mere 6,438.25 hours of overtime were used provincially. Fast forward to January 2024, and that number has skyrocketed to 32,076.05 hours. That’s a jaw-dropping increase of 25,673.80 hours. If there is that drastic of a change in four years it speaks to the accelerated demise of EMS and the mounting evidence that AHS EMS leadership has no clue how to fix it.
No sense searching in the course material of those 'Royal Roads' degrees hanging on the manger's walls. Remember the 'marshmallow towers' they built in their leadership workshops? The Golden Epaulet Gang' has demonstrated they are incapable of learning how to create a functional workplace. Because right now, there's a dead hand on the tiller and the HMCS AHS EMS is and underpowered vessel with an incompetent command crew headed straight for the rocks.

After reading that EMS1 article we mentioned earlier, “Top 10 Ways to Ruin a Good EMT.” we can agree with most of their points. Honestly, it’s like they’ve been spying on AHS EMS. We might even revisit this article in future posts (because it’s just that accurate). But for now, let’s focus on point number three:
3. Throw them into the overtime meat grinder You’ve got new EMTs with enthusiasm, stamina and bare apartments furnished with ratty futons and milk crates. Enticed with the prospect of unlimited overtime, they believe they are invulnerable to physical and emotional fatigue, but the data on fatigue’s contribution to mental errors and ambulance crashes says otherwise. These new EMTs love those fat overtime paychecks … until they don’t. Too much overtime means burnout sets in earlier than it ever should, and soon those new EMTs are seeking greener pastures and less work, and taking all the mentoring and training you’ve invested with them. Seasoned EMTs and medics have learned their limits, and know when to say “no,” but EMS managers should protect the new EMTs from themselves. Pay them a better wage to begin with, and you’ll retain employees better. A stable workforce is cheaper in the long run than paying more overtime and working EMTs to death.
EMS ship captains are ignoring this warning. By allowing unlimited overtime, the organization is embracing unsustainability and turning a blind eye to the rampant burnout of its staff. Underpaid new hires, who are likely struggling the most during a cost-of-living crisis, are being fed to the meatgrinder. This is on you, AHS Leadership.
Does the system need to be this way? Of course not. Can it change? Unfortunately, we believe the answer is also no. Why? Because Alberta Health Services (AHS) leadership insists on forcing EMS—a PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITY, into the “health care” system. They point to the word 'Medical' in the name while ignoring what puts us directly in line with organizations like Police & Fire Departments. We are primarily a Pre-Hospital, Emergency Service. We need to be treated like the Emergency Field Responders we are and less like the Hospital Hallway Nanny's that AHS would like us to be. Stop jamming a square peg into a round hole: it's a clumsy, stupid, damaging practice that is guaranteed to produce worse outcomes for our Patients waiting for Emergency Medical Care in the Community. If AHS Leadership insists on allowing EMS leadership to remain hellbent on preserving the status quo, ignoring how broken, blazing, or unsustainable it is then the outcome is predictable.
So, what does this look like in cold, hard numbers? Let’s revisit January 2020 and January 2024. In January 2020, AHS EMS spent $484,292 on overtime. By January 2024, that number had exploded to $2,407,131—a jaw-dropping increase of $1,922,839 in just one month.
It gets worse. The average monthly overtime cost in 2020 was $704,719. Fast forward to 2024, and the average is $2,721,359 per month, blowing past $30 million in overtime for the entire year.
AHS EMS leadership: burning cash and burning out staff, one giant misstep at a time:

Management teams in AHS EMS have an addiction they can’t quit, it's the fentanyl of leadership and now the entire system depends on. It's not just overtime; it’s discretionary overtime—it's luring Paramedics into volunteering on their days off with pleas to help them keep the system afloat. Instead of creating a sustainable staffing plan leadership is offering a toxic cocktail of double time overtime. How much money can AHS throw at a Broken System that has become utterly reliant on people sacrificing their time off to prop it up? AHS keeps offering Paramedics something intoxicating that weakens them and will eventually destroy their lives. If only we could realize that the desperation shown by AHS EMS resorting to this tactic is also a way to leverage the strength that healthy front-line Paramedics could use to fix EMS.
For proof of just how powerful this leverage can be, look no further than Toronto Paramedic Services. In late 2024, Toronto Paramedics sent a resounding message to their leadership following a dismal contract offer: enough is enough. In protest, Paramedics began canceling their planned voluntary overtime shifts en masse. What started with one frustrated paramedic’s email quickly snowballed into a wave of copycat actions. Within 24 hours, at least 20 paramedics publicly declared they’d canceled their overtime, leaving Canada’s largest emergency medical service scrambling to fill the gaps.
This “overtime revolt” struck at the very heart of the system’s vulnerability: its reliance on voluntary overtime. The chief of Toronto Paramedic Services, Bikram Chawla, labeled the action as “inappropriate” and claimed it jeopardized public safety. But notably, management couldn’t call it illegal—it was discretionary. The service had no grounds to force anyone to work extra hours, and paramedics were well within their rights to refuse. The revolt highlighted not only the precarious nature of the system but also the immense power of a workforce unified in saying, “We’re done enabling your mismanagement.”
The fallout from this collective action was profound. Toronto EMS leadership was put on notice that their staff would no longer endure subpar contracts, unsustainable workloads, and deteriorating working conditions. This event underscored a vital truth for paramedics everywhere: in a system that depends so heavily on your willingness to show up on your day off, sometimes simply not showing up speaks louder than any negotiation ever could.
Introducing the March Away from Overtime Campaign
March is the perfect month to pause, reflect, and prioritize the most important resource in Emergency Medical Services: you. The March Away from Overtime campaign is not a protest, a job action, or even an organized movement—it’s a call for professionals in EMS to pause and ask themselves: Is saying “yes” to overtime worth the cost to my mental health, physical wellbeing, and personal life?
This initiative is inspired by the EMS1 article highlighting the hidden toll overtime takes on EMS workers. It discusses how the endless demands for discretionary overtime—where individuals volunteer to work on their days off—contribute to burnout, fatigue, and strained relationships. A normal EMS shift is already grueling, and when we double or triple those hours through overtime, the trade-offs become significant. What are we sacrificing? Sleep? Family time? Our long-term health?
For years, AHS EMS has leaned heavily on this culture of voluntary overtime, creating a toxic dependency that forces paramedics to cover for systemic mismanagement. They rely on your goodwill, your professional dedication, and, let’s be honest, your desire to keep the system afloat. But here’s the truth: this is not your responsibility. You didn’t create the staffing crisis, nor should it be solved on your back. A pause on discretionary overtime in March is about reminding AHS leadership that if they continue to fail in recruitment, retention, and workplace morale, the cracks in the system will widen—and it’s their fault, not yours.
We want to emphasize: this is not about negotiating for better wages. Instead, the March Away from Overtime campaign has one simple goal: to put pressure on toxic leadership to make real changes. It’s time for a leadership overhaul. It’s time for AHS EMS to confront its failures and reform its management style. This campaign is about asking for dignity, respect, and leadership that values its workforce.
Why March, and Why Now?
The March Away from Overtime campaign is about creating space for reflection. By stepping back from discretionary overtime, even for a month, we can prioritize our health, reset our boundaries, and send a powerful message to AHS EMS leadership: your toxic dependency on our goodwill is not sustainable.
We understand that not everyone can take part in this pause. Financial obligations, personal circumstances, or other factors may make saying no to overtime impossible for some. That’s okay. This campaign is about empowerment, not shame. For those who can participate, it’s a chance to care for yourself as a professional and to remind leadership that real change starts with them.
We encourage every Paramedic to think critically about the toll overtime takes—not just on their wallets, but on their wellbeing. As the EMS1 article says, the cost of overtime is more than just the hours; it’s the strain on your mental health, your relationships, and your future.
By choosing to step away, even temporarily, we remind AHS EMS that leadership cannot rely indefinitely on the people it undervalues. It’s time for them to lead, fix the system, and respect the professionals who keep it running. If they won’t, perhaps it’s time for leadership to march away instead.
And there you have it—another thrilling episode of “How Low Can They Go?” featuring AHS EMS leadership. The overtime addiction, the burned-out staff, the Swiss cheese schedule—it’s like a bad soap opera but with real-life consequences. We’re here to keep shining a spotlight on the absurdity until somebody changes it—or at least until we run out of memes.
Again, we invite you to help. A few bucks to our GiveSendGo keeps us investigating, pays for FOIP requests and holding the people who think they can run this system into the ground accountable. You can also like, comment and share these articles. Your support means everything to us, it tells us we're on the right path. Together, we’re proving that Paramedics—and the Public—aren’t just bystanders in this story. Stay tuned, stay sarcastic, and as always, stay ready for the next AHS EMS management misstep. Spoiler alert: it’s probably already happening.
References
EMS1 Staff. (2020). Top 10 ways to ruin a good EMT. EMS1. Retrieved from https://www.ems1.com/year-one/articles/top-10-ways-to-ruin-a-good-emt-jfdFGC1mKvH8aCgG/
Oatley, G. (2024). Inside Toronto paramedics’ ongoing overtime revolt. TorontoToday.
Friese, G. (2022, October 17). Poll call: You’re working a lot of overtime, why? EMS1. https://www.ems1.com/careers/articles/poll-call-youre-working-a-lot-of-overtime-why-z20aepYppIomoRpH/
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