Alberta Paramedics Stretched Thin by Escalating Overtime
Alberta paramedics are facing unprecedented strain, with new data revealing a surge in overtime hours across the province. Figures obtained by the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) show paramedics are logging over 30,000 overtime hours each month in 2025, representing eight to 12 percent of their total hours worked.
The impact of this chronic overextension is particularly acute in Calgary. Paramedics in the Calgary Zone averaged 14,161 hours of monthly overtime in the first half of 2025 alone. This has led to a concerning number of "orange alerts" where only one to three ambulances are available at a given time, with Calgary experiencing over 2,800 such alerts in August 2025. Hospital offload delays also remain a significant factor, tying up ambulances for thousands of hours each month.
HSAA Vice-President Leanne Alfaro stated that paramedics are being "pushed to their breaking point," emphasizing the critical situation facing frontline workers. This level of strain directly jeopardizes emergency response times, a vital concern for Calgarians relying on timely medical assistance.
The union, which recently saw its members reject a tentative agreement in September 2025 over concerns about workload and compensation, is urging the provincial government to address these systemic workforce challenges. Their demands include improved compensation and working conditions to ensure public health safety across Alberta, and particularly within Calgary's growing population.
