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MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
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MGEU president Kyle Ross: \u201cUnfortunately, the workers are burning out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The MGEU vacancy number was 49 in 2024, 26 in 2023, 33 in 2022 and 62 in 2021, the documents show. The union represents 370 active WFPS workers in the two positions, while other unions represent additional city emergency staff that are not included in this data.<\/p>\n
Ross said a high vacancy level is hindering service levels and hurting remaining staff.<\/p>\n
\u201c(The vacancies) \u2026 lead to far more injuries on the job, far more time lost due to injury because these workers don\u2019t get the opportunity and the time to decompress after they have these very draining and emotionally challenging calls. They don\u2019t have time to recover or deal with these emotions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look at the overtime numbers that we\u2019ve seen and the violence they see on the job, these things compound.\u201d<\/p>\n
Results of the freedom of information requests also show the number of overtime hours for the same group surged in recent years, reaching 28,614 hours in 2025. That\u2019s up from 25,182 in 2024, 16,291 in 2023, 14,895 in 2022 and 14,878 in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, the workers are burning out. When you look at the overtime numbers that we\u2019ve seen and the violence they see on the job, these things compound and, without the time to reflect and decompress and deal with those emotions, (workers) burn out,\u201d said Ross.<\/p>\n
The union leader said drug psychosis and physical violence are becoming more common, adding considerable stress to the job.<\/p>\n
WFPS must fill the positions as soon as possible to reduce the wait times for ambulances and prevent vacancies from fueling the need for even more overtime hours, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you have that many vacancies, overtime is just a part of the daily life of these workers, unfortunately,\u201d said Ross.<\/p>\n
Ryan Sneath, deputy chief of paramedic operations and training for WFPS, said the vacancy numbers include both permanent jobs and temporary positions.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t RYAN THORPE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Deputy chief of paramedic operations and training for WFPS, Ryan Sneath.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The temporary ones aren\u2019t counted in the city\u2019s expected complement at budget time but are created during the year for various reasons, such as to cover special projects or reduce overtime hours, said Sneath.<\/p>\n While WFPS didn\u2019t provide an exact breakdown of temporary and permanent posts within the 107 vacant positions, the deputy chief said he\u2019d \u201clove\u201d to fill them all.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a very, very busy emergency service. Our utilization rate is significant \u2026 So, when we\u2019re using our resources to maximum efficiency \u2026 that does have a negative on our (staff),\u201d said Sneath.<\/p>\n \u201cOvertime is not a sustainable practice.\u201d<\/p>\n He believes several factors led to a high number of vacancies, including fewer paramedic graduates in recent years and a higher number of jurisdictions competing to hire them.<\/p>\n Sneath said the effect of vacancies on the workforce is exacerbated by the fact dozens of additional emergency workers are off the job due to injuries and extended illnesses.<\/p>\n He said 54 of the city\u2019s staff of paramedics and communications operators, not just MGEU members, were off due to Workers\u2019 Compensation Board claims in April.<\/p>\n He said those absences, as well as high levels of short-time sick leave, are linked to the high demands on staff.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are all typically symptoms of a very stressed environment. People are being asked to do a significant amount of work,\u201d said Sneath.<\/p>\n WFPS is calling for more staff to meet Winnipeg\u2019s growing population and demand for emergency services, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOvertime is not a sustainable practice for doing that,\u201d said Sneath.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t WFPS is now tackling high overtime use by staggering shift times to help prevent hours being added at the end of each work day, which has been effective in recent months, he said.<\/p>\n The service is also actively recruiting staff and \u201cin constant communication with\u201d Shared Health to request more resources, since that branch of the provincial government funds the city\u2019s paramedic service, he said.<\/p>\n Coun. Vivian Santos, the chairwoman of council\u2019s community services committee, said the mayor\u2019s office asked the province late last year to fund eight additional 24-7 ambulances, four additional community paramedic SUVs and about 100 more staff.<\/p>\n Santos (Point Douglas) said she shares the concern about the impact of vacancies and overtime on existing staff, especially with dozens of workers on leave due to other workplace illnesses and injuries.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Coun. Vivian Santos, chairwoman of Winnipeg city council\u2019s community services committee.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve heard those concerns \u2026 We\u2019ve put money and dollars towards (a new WFPS) wellness clinic because we want to be able to assist people who are on workers\u2019 compensation to be able to come back to come back to work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Santos said emergency service jobs are quite stressful due to social challenges, with or without vacancies adding to the pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are definitely dealing with a lot of social disorder and social ills, which does compound and weigh heavily on our emergency services, just across the entire city. Call volumes are up, mental health and addiction calls are up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n In an email, a Shared Health spokesperson said a decision on any request for more WFPS resources will be based on multiple factors, including call volumes. The statement did not indicate if the agency expects to fund more ambulances or staff in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X: @joyanne_pursaga<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joyanne Pursaga Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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