Unifor Local 229 paramedics in the Superior North EMS District are at a breaking point. Chronic short-staffing, excessive on-call demands, and lack of investment from the City of Thunder Bay have pushed these frontline workers—and the emergency care system in Northern Ontario—to the brink.
Despite serving some of Ontario’s most remote and rural communities, these paramedics are among the most overworked and under-supported. Many are on-call 24 hours a day for up to a week, travelling long distances to respond to 9-1-1 calls, often alone or away from their assigned base. Burnout is rampant, recruitment is failing, and patients are being left behind as EMS stations sit empty.
For over a year, the City has refused to address the staffing crisis through fair contract negotiations. The paramedics voted 97% in favour of a strike mandate, signalling a clear demand for action. Without change, more medics will leave, and gaps in ambulance coverage will grow.
Unifor is calling on all Northern Ontario residents to stand with paramedics. These workers are the backbone of rural emergency care, and their working conditions are directly tied to your safety and access to life-saving help.
Add your name to demand the City of Thunder Bay return to the table with a fair mandate that respects these essential workers and protects emergency services across the region.
Tell city leaders: support paramedics, fix the staffing crisis, and protect public safety in Northern Ontario.
