top of page

From Bad to Worse: Why Cutting EMS Funding at the Drop-In Centre is a Disaster Waiting to Happen

Writer's picture: ambulanceman4ambulanceman4


Welcome to the latest episode of "Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?!" starring the province of Alberta! This time, we’re diving into the baffling decision to yank EMS funding from the Drop-In Centre (DI) in Calgary. Spoiler alert: it’s not going to save money—it’s just going to throw more fuel on the already raging dumpster fire that is Alberta’s EMS system.


What’s Going On at the DI?


The DI is a busy homeless shelter where crisis is part of the daily routine. For years, Mahikan Medical has had a dedicated team of 16 EMS professionals stationed there. These medics and EMRs are the first line of defense against emergencies like overdoses, providing critical care on-site. By doing so, they saved countless lives and, as a nice little bonus, reduced the need for AHS ambulances to respond to the shelter offering much needed reprieve from Calgary Paramedics.


Mahikan’s impact speaks for itself. Take a look at these stats:

  • December 2023: 127 EMS calls

  • January 2024: 105 EMS calls

  • January 2025: 63 EMS calls


That’s a clear downward trend in EMS calls. And here’s the kicker: Mahikan Medical’s presence means fewer ambulances are tied up at the DI. Fewer EMS responses, and ultimately fewer needless transports to hospitals already surging, and freeing those Ambulances to respond to emergencies elsewhere. Even one less pending call here is a win! This is called efficiency, something AHS EMS leadership wouldn’t recognize if it hit them over the head with an oxygen tank.


But now? The funding’s gone. Poof. The DI plans to replace Mahikan Medical with… nurses. Let’s pause for a second to make one thing clear: this is not a dig at nurses. They’re amazing at what they do. But nurses aren’t paramedics. Their training isn’t focused on rapid, in-the-moment emergency care. That’s why we have EMS in the first place.





Why This is a Colossal Mistake?

Cutting Mahikan Medical doesn’t eliminate the need for emergency response at the DI. It just shifts the burden back onto AHS EMS, a system already stretched thinner than a single-ply toilet paper roll at a roadside gas station. If you’re wondering, "How bad is AHS EMS right now?" let us count the ways:


  • Chronic understaffing, even after blowing through $32 million in overtime.

  • A Health Link referral system with a failure rate that could make a coin flip look reliable.

  • Paramedics so burned out they’re quitting in droves, leaving ambulances to sit empty.


Eliminating Mahikan Medical’s funding doesn’t save money. It’s just a lazy shell game, moving costs from one pocket to another while pretending it’s "fiscally responsible." In reality, this move will likely cost the province more as EMS crews are forced to respond to a surge of preventable calls from the DI—on top of the problems they’re already dealing with.


What Can You Do About It?

If you’re as fired up as we are about this blatant nonsense, it’s time to take action. Writing to your MLA is one of the simplest and most effective ways to make your voice heard. Not sure who your MLA is? No problem.


Step 1: Find Your MLA

Visit https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/ and enter your postal code to find out who represents you.

Step 2: Copy and Paste the Letter Below

We’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Copy this letter, personalize it if you want, and send it to your MLA’s email address (found in Step 1).


Subject: Restore Funding for EMS Services at the Drop-In Centre

Dear [MLA’s Name],

I am writing to express my deep concern over the recent decision to eliminate funding for on-site EMS services at the Drop-In Centre in Calgary. For years, Mahikan Medical’s team of paramedics has provided critical, life-saving care to some of the city’s most vulnerable residents while reducing downstream pressures on Alberta Health Services’ EMS system.

Removing this funding is not a cost-saving measure; it’s a cost-shifting disaster. AHS EMS is already in crisis, struggling with chronic understaffing and skyrocketing call volumes. Replacing paramedics with nurses—who are not trained for rapid emergency response—will only result in more preventable calls being dumped onto an already overburdened system.

This decision is short-sighted and will likely cost the province more in the long run. Stable funding for Mahikan Medical must be restored immediately to ensure the Drop-In Centre can continue to operate efficiently and to prevent further strain on Alberta’s EMS resources.

I urge you to address this issue with the urgency it deserves. Please advocate for the restoration of EMS funding at the Drop-In Centre and hold the government accountable for its responsibility to support effective, community-based healthcare solutions.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Contact Information]


Let’s show the province that we’re not falling for their "cost-saving" charade. Share this post, write your MLA, and demand that they fix this mess before it spirals even further out of control. Because if they won’t listen to reason, maybe they’ll listen to the sound of thousands of Albertans yelling, "Wheres my ambulance?"


758 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Commentaires


123-456-7890

You can reach me by Email.
All information provided was attained through Freedom of information requests from Alberta Health Services or previously published media stories.

bottom of page