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General News · 1st August 2021
Myrna Kerr
As of today, August 1st, Cortes Island Paramedics are loosing the temporary measure known as the KILO Guarantee which was created to provide something close to a living wage for paramedics working in rural and remote areas of BC.

While most rural and remote areas are moving to a new Scheduled-O-Call (SOC)model creating full time salaried position in the communities served, Cortes was left out of this transition, and has been returned to the former unsustainable On-Call model.

Our Paramedics are now being asked to serve our island for a mere $2 per hour while on call.

This has resulted in a staffing crisis as trained paramedics must look elsewhere to make a living.

Cortes, residents and visitors are now facing the terrifying prospect of many days in the coming months without a viable emergency medical response of any kind.

In August there will be paramedics on call to fill only 16 of the 62 shifts required.

A petition has been created by Cortes volunteers to implore the Province of BC to restore the necessary funding to maintain Cortes Ambulances Services 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

The impact on the Cortes residents and visitors of loosing emergency Medical Services will be a disaster. The Health and BC elected Government officials appear to be intent on saving money instead of saving lives.

This Petition asking to restore this critical medical emergency service will be available for signature at the Friday Market in Mansons Hall and at the Gorge Marina Saturday Market as well as various locations throughout the community. If you need more information please call Myrna at 0112 or mjkerrtwincomm.ca

Cortes Island requires a viable Emergency Ambulance Service.