The report, received by Sudbury’s Community and Emergency Services Committee on June 15, shows that between 2020 and 2025 the City hired 116 paramedics – the equivalent of nearly 69% of its current workforce – yet the overall size of the service remained virtually unchanged. CUPE 4705, which represents approximately 200 City of Greater Sudbury paramedics and logistics staff, says the data confirms a long-standing retention problem that now requires urgent action.
“For years, we raised concerns about recruitment and retention and brought forward solutions at the bargaining table, only to be told staffing was stable,” said Srdjan Andrejic, a Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) with 11 years of experience and CUPE Local 4705 Inside Unit Chair. “Now the City’s own report confirms what every paramedic already knew. The question is whether Council will act before residents begin to feel the consequences through the continued loss of experienced clinicians and increasing pressure on an already stretched Paramedic Service.”
The report also shows that approximately half of all Primary Care Paramedics now have fewer than five years of service, while the number of Advanced Care Paramedics has fallen from 69 in 2020 to 57 in 2025, leaving the service increasingly dependent on newer clinicians.
“The Learn and Stay Grant bought us time but did nothing for long term stability,” said Andrejic. “The City’s own data shows that experienced clinicians are walking out almost as quickly as new ones are hired. You can’t pay people less, demand more of them, expose them to injury and trauma, and expect them to stay. Every experienced paramedic who leaves takes years of clinical judgement and training with them, and that loss eventually becomes a problem for the community.”
Other Ontario municipalities have plans to keep experienced paramedics. Toronto introduced annual retention payments and accelerated wage progression for paramedics and Peel Region negotiated significant wage increases and enhanced mental health and disability benefits.
Sudbury, meanwhile, continues to lose experienced staff without a comparable long-term strategy. Sudbury paramedics are paid less than neighbouring services and other first responders. Part-time paramedics receive minimal mental health benefits, often paying out of pocket for psychologists, and must remain available to work year-round or take unpaid leave to recover or spend time with their families.
These staffing challenges come as Greater Sudbury continues to miss several provincially approved ambulance response time targets, including cardiac for arrests and the most urgent medical emergencies.
“We welcome this new standing committee and anything that brings resources and attention to this issue. But they need to invite workers to the table if they want to solve this crisis,” said Max Lafontaine, President of CUPE 4705, which represents over 1,500 workers across Greater Sudbury. “Council has a choice: act before this crisis gets worse or explain to residents why they ignored the warning. This is an election year, and the future of emergency medical services should be an issue every candidate is prepared to address.”
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For more information, please contact:
Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative 416-704-9642 | [email protected]
