Province adds bursary program to recruit more paramedics

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The province says it will be addressing paramedic shortages by investing in a $6.5 million bursary program for paramedics and emergency medical technician students who commit to work in New Brunswick.

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Health Minister John Dornan announced in Moncton that the government’s talent recruitment division is providing bursaries to 75 students currently enrolled in primary care paramedic training programs. Bursaries will be available to up to another 166 students who begin their courses during the 2025-26 academic year.

The government will also fund bursaries for up to 32 students admitted to advanced care paramedic courses for the 2025-26 academic year from now through March 31, 2026. Similarly, bursaries will be available for up to 39 graduates of emergency medical technician courses.
The program will reimburse students who commit to a return-of-service contract with Ambulance New Brunswick.

Primary care paramedic and advanced care paramedic bursary recipients must sign a two-year return-of-service agreement while emergency medical technicians must sign a one-year agreement. The first half of the bursary will be paid when they begin working, and the second half will be paid upon completion of their return-of-service.

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“That will move us a lot closer to a more comfortable working environment,” Dornan said, noting the bursary program will help to recruit new paramedicine students and assist those already in the system when more medics begin working in the province.

Ambulance New Brunswick has previously told Brunswick News it is operating at a 28 per cent shortage of paramedics every day. ANB is funded for just over 1,000 positions, including land and air ambulance operations and 911 dispatch. Typically, ANB operates with roughly 200 paramedic vacancies short.

Craig Dalton, CEO of Extra-Mural/Ambulance New Brunswick, said the announcement will be a boost as New Brunswick struggles to recruit and retain paramedics, which is also being seen in other provinces.

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“It’s a challenge to get that very small group of talent and this is a huge tool in our toolbox to be able to do that,” he said.

Last June, the Nova Scotia government announced it would cover full tuition costs for more than 460 people who want to become a primary care paramedic or emergency medical responder.

Joel Mattatall co-founder of Omni Life Support & OLS Academy, said he has seen people looking to study paramedicine have gone to Nova Scotia because of its tuition support, and he hopes New Brunswick’s new bursary program will encourage people to stay and work in the province.

“I think this is a great first step…what you’ll see as people start to work out of a station, they start to plant those roots. They start to have a family. We won’t see them leave,” he said.

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Dalton and Dornan pointed out the profession has grown more difficult with the shortages, offload delays outside hospitals and the growing number of difficult calls. Mattatall, who also works as an advanced care paramedic, said they have seen an increase in calls related to socioeconomic issues, such as substance use.

Paramedic Rebecca Bird said the bursary program will eliminate financial barriers for new students and people looking to make a career change to paramedicine. When she decided to switch from pharmacy to paramedicine studies, she had to get assistance to go back to school.

“I would have gladly appreciated this back when I was going to school,” she said.

Having more paramedics in the system will make it easier for staff to finish their shifts on time, to take vacation, and when a team member needs to call in sick, said Bird.

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Mattatall said his paramedicine training academy was full last year, but there are still seats remaining for the next intake in August. The academy offers 60 seats and has added a training program in Miramichi to help address longer response times and staffing shortages in that region.

Primary care paramedic training programs are offered in New Brunswick through Medavie Health Ed, OLS Academy, CCNB, and Oulton College.

When asked if the funding will be extended after 2025-26 academic year, Dornan said the impact of the program will be studied before making any decisions.

“We expect it to have an immediate impact over this next one to two years and then we will evaluate that,” he said.

Additionally, Dornan said after meeting with the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick recently, the province has decided to allow paramedics to administer thrombolytics- a type of life saving medications used for patients experiencing acute heart attacks.

Mattatall said this will come as good news because it is already happening in other provinces and paramedics are already trained to give thrombolytics.

“Being able to administer that life-saving drug in that patient’s living room is going to make a real difference,” he said.

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