Today, the Manitoba government announced Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) training opportunities at RRC Polytech in the form of a new direct entry stream. Making it easier to get into the program is good, but MAHCP President Jason Linklater says this announcement does not increase the number of training seats at RRC Polytech, and it does not represent a significant solution to the paramedic staffing crisis.
“The magnitude of the crisis requires a proportionate response, and we’re not seeing it,” said Jason Linklater, President, MAHCP. “It’s good that the Red River training seats are now full, after years of being underfilled. But those new students won’t be ready to work for years, and meanwhile, rural Manitoba continues to lose full-time paramedics due to years of short-staffing, mandatory overtime, difficult working conditions, and lack of opportunity.”
Furthermore, Red River only offers training in Winnipeg, and many of their graduates end up working for the City of Winnipeg. Every time Winnipeg hires, Manitoba loses rural paramedics. According to a recent report, WFPS needs 47 paramedics to fill current vacancies.
Shared Health has had a net gain of only one paramedic so far in 2025; they are losing them as fast as they can hire them. The Manitoba Government is nowhere close to meeting their election commitment to add 200 paramedics in their first term. They must find new ways to retain paramedics in rural Manitoba where they are needed.
“MAHCP has put forward practical recommendations to retain current paramedics, recruit to hard-to-fill positions, and train more rural students who will be more likely to stay in rural Manitoba where they are needed. So far, those recommendations have gone nowhere, but we remain willing to work with government to work toward meeting their commitment to add 200 net new paramedics in their first term.”
Manitoba needs more paramedic training seats outside of Winnipeg to bring training closer to home, and they need to provide financial support for rural students to fill them. Increasing PCP training seats at University College of the North in Thompson is also positive, but less than a third of those seats are filled.
“The government should be paying students’ way – if they do that they’ll have a rural paramedic for life. We need sponsored training for paramedics with robust return of service agreements,” said Linklater