Union takes province to task for wildly inaccurate paramedic numbers

The provincial government is walking back numbers suggesting Manitoba saw a net-gain of hundreds of paramedics in recent years, sparking outrage from the union representing such professionals in rural regions.

Following a news conference introducing a direct-entry paramedicine program at Red River College Polytechnic on Wednesday, a provincial spokesperson told the Free Press 231 net-new paramedics joined provincial ranks since October 2023.

The province corrected that figure in a statement Thursday, saying “the previous number was provided in error.”

”From October 2023 to September 2025 we have added 18 net new paramedics to our province. This counts only full time or part time employees who are employed by Shared Health and serve rural and northern Manitoba. These 18 paramedics are part of the 401 net new allied health professionals who have been added to the province since October 2023.”

Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals president Jason Linklater, whose union represents all paramedics in rural Manitoba, said he was baffled and frustrated by the mistake.

“Paramedics were shocked to hear the Province of Manitoba providing wildly inaccurate and misleading information on a matter of life and death for Manitobans,” Linklater said in a statement.

“The fact that the government made an announcement about paramedics without having accurate information at hand underscores the need for a thorough and transparent allied health workforce plan that shows vacancies, turnover rates, future staffing needs and clear steps to address the staffing crisis.”

The NDP government pledged during the 2023 election campaign to add 200 new paramedics before the end of its first term.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca