St. Albert councillors vote to keep ambulance contract with province

St. Albert city council voted to keep its integrated fire-ambulance service at a greater cost after the province notified the city funding would be reduced.

City councillors in St. Albert voted unanimously to re-negotiate its ground ambulance contract with Emergency Health Services (EHS) on Tuesday.

By re-negotiating its contract with the province, St. Albert will now accept less money from the Alberta government to fund its emergency transportation services.

The city had the option to find a new provider for local contracted ambulance and fire services.

On March 13, the city was notified that provincial funding for municipal ambulance contracts would be getting cut.

Leduc, Spruce Grove, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Strathcona County also received such notification.

Strathcona County voted to accept the new contract from EHS earlier this month, keeping the service the same but incurring more cost.

Leduc and Spruce Grove denied the new contract and are opting to seek different providers.