'Very scary situation': Fewer ambulances in Montreal this weekend due to staff shortage
'Very scary situation': Fewer ambulances in Montreal this weekend due to staff shortage
Paramedics in Greater Montreal are stretched particularly thin this weekend, with nearly half the territory's ambulances parked due to a staffing shortage.
With 26 ambulances in Montreal and Laval not in use, Urgences Sante said calls are being prioritized according to their urgency.
"Calls where it's deemed that the person's life is not in immediate danger or there's no immediate risk that the person's health is going to deteriorate -- for those types of calls, there can be a delay," said supervisor Vanessa Grillo.
Managers are filling in, and paramedics from other regions are also helping out -- but that's only a temporary fix.
The bigger issue is finding and training more people to do the job.
"Paramedics for the last year were on strike," Grillo explained, which caused internships to be paused.
"It all weighs pretty heavily on paramedics," she said.
Retired paramedic Hal Newman runs the page The Last Ambulance, a journalism project from The Rover.
He said working when there's not enough staff is exhausting.
"My night would look like a living hell in terms of nonstop response, call after call after call, extended response times," he said.
Newman worries someone will fall through the cracks.
"We've all been raised with the idea that when we call 911, help is coming -- and now that's in question and that's a very scary situation."
Urgences Sante says it's doing what it can to recruit staff.
In the meantime, on this hot summer weekend, it's warning people to stay hydrated and drink responsibly.
Anyone in need of non-urgent medical care is asked to call 811 or go to the emergency room.
An Amber Alert was issued for two-year-old Holdan Keewatin Sunday afternoon, after the Regina Police Service asked for public assistance in the search for the child.
The rapid growth of a long-burning forest fire in central Newfoundland has triggered a state of emergency in the area and the expansion of an outdoor fire ban to the entire province.
Air Canada denied a customer complaint and instructed employees to classify flight cancellations caused by staff shortages as a "safety" problem, which would exclude travellers from compensation under federal regulations. That policy remains in place.
Five people, including a suspect, were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a violent incident that drew a massive police presence to downtown Vancouver's main entertainment district Saturday night.
A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that if Russia proceeded with referendums in occupied areas of his country on joining Russia, there could be no talks with Ukraine or its international allies.
A Dutch man accused of tormenting British Columbia teen Amanda Todd via online threats has been found guilty of all charges he faced in connection with the case, a jury ruled on Saturday.
A B.C. wildfire that has forced hundreds from their homes didn't increase in size overnight, but the hot weather Sunday means "containment lines could be challenged," according to the wildfire service.
The City of Toronto has extended the hours of seven city-run pools in an effort to help residents cool off amid heat warnings issued by Environment Canada.
Ontario's legislature is set to resume this week for the first time since the re-election of Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives, with politicians returning amid a health-care staffing crisis and skyrocketing inflation.
One of the longest serving MLA’s currently in the New Brunswick legislature says he was the one to offer new Liberal leader Susan Holt his seat should she choose to run in a by-election before the next provincial election.
The rapid growth of a long-burning forest fire in central Newfoundland has triggered a state of emergency in the area and the expansion of an outdoor fire ban to the entire province.
According to police, Lucien Dubois was last seen leaving a residence on Boom Road in his vehicle Friday. He was later reported missing Sunday afternoon.
Most of southern Ontario currently finds itself sweltering under a weekend heat warning, and London-Middlesex is no exception, as temperatures are expected to reach 40 C with the humidex.
Manitoulin Transport has been delivering, numerous skids of dry pet food and cleaning supplies to Ontario Wildlife Rescue Centres across the province at no charge since the beginning of the year.
Alberta Health Services has issued an enforcement order against a Banff home after an inspection discovered that as many as 42 people were staying inside the property.
Family members, friends and veterans gathered Sunday to pay their respects and remember the lives of Albertans who died while fighting in peacekeeping missions and support operations around the world.
The aftermath of the Old Marina Restaurant fire, a storm that tore through Elora, and the continued decreased of real estate prices in Waterloo Region round out the top stories of the week.
Five people, including a suspect, were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a violent incident that drew a massive police presence to downtown Vancouver's main entertainment district Saturday night.
A B.C. man's lawsuit against Facebook – in which he is claiming $50 million in damages because the social media giant did not take down an "imposter page" – will be allowed to proceed, according to a court ruling.
As most of southern Ontario currently bakes under a weekend heat warning, the Windsor area will be no exception, as temperatures are expected to reach 41 C with the humidex on Sunday.
Windsor’s Ottawa Street was overflowing with colour, smiles and pride Sunday as the annual Windsor-Essex Pride Fest Parade returned to the city for the first time in two years.
An Amber Alert was issued for two-year-old Holdan Keewatin Sunday afternoon, after the Regina Police Service asked for public assistance in the search for the child.
Four more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization Sunday to leave the country's Black Sea coast as analysts warned that Russia was moving troops and equipment in the direction of the ports to stave off a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
The price of gas has gone down by almost 40 cents in Ottawa since June. But it’s back up seven cents on Sunday and those who drive for a living are spending hundreds of dollars on fuel every week.
An Amber Alert was issued for two-year-old Holdan Keewatin Sunday afternoon, after the Regina Police Service asked for public assistance in the search for the child.
While the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, one of the brightest of the year, may be next week, now may be the best time to see the astronomical event, according to The Weather Network.
